Hours after incumbent US President Donald Trump was permanently suspended from micro-blogging platform Twitter for ‘inciting’ violence, netizens have come forwards to express their fears about selective censorship on social media.
Twitter, which claims to uphold freedom of speech, was quick to ban Trump and the handles of his aides. Highlighting the contradiction in Twitter’s actions and its public image, a user wrote, “I think President Trump just exposed what kind of company Twitter is. The world is watching. I’m watching from Japan.”
I think President Trump just exposed what kind of company Twitter is.
— Yoko 🇯🇵 (@randomyoko) January 9, 2021
The world is watching. I’m watching from Japan.
While emphasising on the monopoly of social media giants, which controls what is ‘normal’ and what isn’t, another user stated, “Big Tech is the enemy of the people.”
Big Tech is the enemy of the people.
— Ryann McEnany (@RyannMcEnany) January 9, 2021
Twitter user Viv pointed out how a handful of people determine your ability to freely express your opinions on social media. “Twitter has around 5000 employees, Facebook 45,000 & Reddit only has 400. That’s an extremely tiny percentage of people having huge & mostly unprecedented power over the very way we communicate, share things, interact,” the user stated.
Twitter has around 5000 employees, Facebook 45,000 & Reddit only has 400.
— Viv 🐉 (@flcnhvy) January 8, 2021
That’s an extremely tiny percentage of people having huge & mostly unprecedented power over the very way we communicate, share things, interact.
Author and Filmmaker, Mike Cernovich, reiterated that Twitter’s decision to ban Donald Trump will have a long-lasting impact on the country. Highlighting the dangers of such a decision, he tweeted, “Today will be seen as when the country officially split. The left is going to use its power in unimaginable ways. The blow black will be extreme. Foreign powers will be funding all sides of the exchange. Hyperinflation. The U.S. no longer a global power.”
Today will be seen as when the country officially split. The left is going to use their power in unimaginable ways. The blow black will be extreme. Foreign powers will be funding all sides of the exchange. Hyperinflation. The U.S. no longer a global power.
— Cerno (@Cernovich) January 9, 2021
Twitter user, Denis Rancourt wrote, “They don’t assassinate USA presidents any more. This is what they do instead: mass unrelenting defamation and silencing.”
They don’t assassinate USA presidents any more. This is what they do instead: mass unrelenting defamation and silencing.
— Denis Rancourt (@denisrancourt) January 9, 2021
Netizens call out Twitter for its ‘double standards’
Netizens were quick to expose the double standards of the social media giant. One user informed that the Supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, infamous for human rights violations, is allowed to have a Twitter account. However, Donald Trump, who has been democartically elected by the people in 2016, is not permitted to express his views.
Twitter tolerates the Ayatollah of Iran and not the leader of the free world.
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) January 8, 2021
Twitter user Ninad Turtle asked, “One account was permanently suspended by Twitter for inciting violence. Guess which?” He had shared tweets of actress Swara Bhaskar and Donald Trump, to highlight the selective censorship of Twitter. Bashar, who was seen inciting mobs to unleash violence and terror on the streets in the name of Anti-CAA protests, had a free run while Trump has been silenced by the same platform.
One account was permanently suspended by twitter for inciting violence. Guess which? 🤡 pic.twitter.com/vHsGM5UkRg
— Ninda Turtle (@NindaTurtles) January 9, 2021
Donald Trump hits back at Twitter
After Twitter suspended not just President Trump’s account but also other Twitter accounts associated with him, President Trump issued a statement over the shocking action of Twitter to ban free speech saying that micro-blogging site is colluding with Democrats and radical left elements to silence him and the 75 million people who voted for him.
In his tweet, President Donald Trump pointed out how he had been saying for a long time that Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech and added that Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and the Radical Left elements to remove his account from their platform, to silence him and the 75,000,000 great patriots who voted for him. The President also pointed out that Twitter may be a private company, but the government’s gift of Section 230 they would not exist for long.
“I predicted this would happen. We have been negotiating with various other sites and will have a big announcement soon, while we also look at the possibilities of building out our own platform in the near future. We will not be SILENCED! Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH,” added POTUS Donald Trump highlighting how the micro-blogging site is all about promoting a Radical Left platform ‘where some of the most vicious people in the world are allowed to speak freely’. The President of the United States, end his statement to his followers said, “STAY TUNED!”.
