Twitter Launches Trust and Safety Council To Help Put End To Trolling (thestack.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Twitter has announced a new trust and safety council to stamp out bullying and trolling on the microblogging site. The Twitter Trust & Safety Council will initially be formed of around 40 bodies, including the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, ICT Watch, NetSafe, and Samaritans. These organisations, along with safety experts, academics and security researchers, will work to ensure a safe and secure platform for users to express themselves freely and safely. The Council's main focus will be to protect minors, encourage 'greater compassion and empathy on the internet,' and promote efforts in media literacy and digital citizenship. Community groups will also participate to help prevent online 'abuse, harassment, and bullying,' as well as mental health problems and suicide.

Comments

This is a bad idea.

[B33rNinj4]

While I dislike trolling, when you attempt to put controls onto a system, you end up destroying that system.

Re: This is a bad idea.

[Archangel Michael]

Who gets to define "Trolling" and "Bullying". My guess, suddenly all sorts of speech will be suddenly labels "Micro-aggression" and be banned.

"I'm voting for _________" -- not politically correct candidate = BANHAMMER!!!

Re: This is a bad idea.

[NotDrWho]

Well, obviously if you're voting for _________ then you must be a racist and sexist. So anything you say is hate speech.

Re:This is a bad idea.

[PopeRatzo]

when you attempt to put controls onto a system, you end up destroying that system.

Really?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Re:This is a bad idea.

[kheldan]

It's not just a bad idea, it's not an enforceable system. What's the difference between trolling and arguing, or trolling and someone whose honest opinion just happens to deviate beyond a certain distance from what's considered the norm? It's like trying to set down rules as to what is and is not 'art'; it can't be done.

Re:This is a bad idea.

[PolygamousRanchKid]

The name is a hoot and a half: "Trust and Safety Council". This sounds like something I would expect to see in a dictatorship, like North Korea, the former East Germany, Soviet Russia or a fistful of Middle East Sheikdoms.

Let's just call it what it really is: "Board of Censorship".

Re: This is a bad idea.

[AHuxley]

Yes the look and feel will be like any web 2.0 site under some theocracy, despotic monarchy, military dictatorship, fascist or communist government.
Most nations have their own safe sites in their own languages that have a role for locals. Why join another big site to be tracked, reported on and corrected?
Group think sets in and a very chilling system after posting with ip's tracked, user banned and facing chat downs.

Good news for any new or older social media site in the USA that can promote and protect freedom of speech and freedom after speech.

Re:This is a bad idea.

[Anonymous Coward]

It makes sense when you realize that they don't want users to trust them and feel safe, what they're trying to do is convince advertisers that they can trust Twitter and that it's a safe platform to advertise on. There are so many stories of Twitter advertising campaigns coming back to bite the advertisers as hashtags get co-opted by users, that Twitter needs to convince advertisers that they can block that from happening in the name of "preventing trolls."

They're also hoping to score some leftist points with the type of people who hate freedom of speech in the name of creating "safe spaces" while distracting them from the reality that they don't care about them, either, they just want to make sure advertisers don't have to listen to user complaints.

Re:This is a bad idea.

[T.E.D.]

Exactly. Slashdot put moderation in about 15 years ago, and look how destroyed it is now.

Re:This is a bad idea.

[Bodhammer]

Minitrue

“War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.”

Re:This is a bad idea.

[Mike Van Pelt]

I was thinking "Commitee of Public Safety". Complete with Mme LeFarge shrieking "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

Re:This is a bad idea.

[PopeRatzo]

Face it Twitter is the kindergarten play ground of public forums. They basically want to control it by gagging the children and chaining them to a stake in the ground so they can't pester each other.

If you've ever had a kindergarten age kid, you will recognize the appeal of this idea.

Re:This is a bad idea.

[AmiMoJo]

The difference is, despite what the MRAs and anti-feminists scream, Twitter doesn't try to stop people saying unpopular things. It only acts when they start abusing other users.

...and in other news:

[martinux]

Twitter Launches Church Of We Don't Like Your Opinion So We're Going To Brand You A Troll Council to Help Put End To Hurt Feelings

Re:...and in other news:

[NotDrWho]

Criticize Islam: Banhammer for hate speech
Criticize Christianity: [crickets]

Criticize women's rights movement: Banhammer for misogyny
Criticize men's rights movement: [crickets]

Re:...and in other news:

[NotDrWho]

You think it's bad in me, you should meet Anita Sarkeesian.

Re:...and in other news:

[Coren22]

will work to ensure a safe and secure platform for users to express themselves freely and safely.

Unless you have an opinion that differs from someone else's. Or if we think you are a troll, because restricting free speech is the quickest way to allowing people to express themselves freely.

Re:...and in other news:

[martinux]

I'll hand myself in as one of those disgusting monsters who tries to form an evidence-based opinion.

I'm trying my best to paint anyone who criticises an opinion given by a back person as a racist, a woman as misogynist or a trans person as... anti-trans?
I... I just need to learn to start treating people I don't know as victims who can't survive without my help, especially those who don't want it.

Re:...and in other news:

[Mashiki]

The large number of un-banned anti-feminists proves that criticism women's rights isn't a banable offence.

And that doesn't stop them from forcing people to delete tweets that they find objectionable, like pointing out their logical fallacies. But twitter's "harassment team" is fine with stuff from Jessica Valenti or Andrea Dworkin's screaming "kill all men" or writing about how they'd other things to happen.

Safe Space to Express Yourself Freely

[casings]

These organisations, along with safety experts, academics and security researchers, will work to ensure a safe and secure platform for users to express themselves freely and safely.

So you are free express yourself, as long as you express yourself in a way approved by these organizations?

What fucking hypocritical bullshit.

Re:Safe Space to Express Yourself Freely

[NotDrWho]

Freedom of speech, just watch what you say.

Safe & Secure

[sexconker]

safe and secure platform for users to express themselves freely and safely

As long as your free expression doesn't piss off any of the 40 busybody groups, of course.

f + s = k

[Pseudonymous Powers]

God, I'm so stupid. Here I've been hanging out on the internet for decades now, and I never once realized in all that time that all we had to do to make everyone nice to each other all the time was to institute draconian levels of censorship based on arbitrary rules decided upon by the most hypersensitive and litigious subgroups in the community.

"platform for users to express themselves freely"

[NotDrWho]

Translation: Complete freedom to agree with the left just as much as you like.

Re:Which part of Edit feature do they not GET?

[Coren22]

Why all the sexism? Are you saying that women can't possibly be the trolls? Or is it agism, that trolling people is somehow a 12 year old thing? Perhaps you should expand your horizons and realize that ANYONE can troll, including the ones making up these rules!

They failed

[penguinoid]

Twitter Launches Trust and Safety Council To Help Put End To Trolling

They already failed. What's next, the Orwellian Council of Freethinkers?

Re:Autists trying to script social interation?

[bmo]

For example, just look at the Rust programming language project. They have a very bureaucratic and tyrannical code of conduct.

Ok, let's look at, specifically, what they define as harrassment:

4. Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered harassment and are unacceptable within our community:

Violence, threats of violence or violent language directed against another person.
Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language.
Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material.
Posting or threatening to post other peopleâ(TM)s personally identifying information ("doxing").
Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability.
Inappropriate photography or recording.
Inappropriate physical contact. You should have someoneâ(TM)s consent before touching them.
Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes, sexualized comments or jokes; inappropriate touching, groping, and unwelcomed sexual advances.
Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following (online or in person).
Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Sustained disruption of community events, including talks and presentations.

You have a problem with these? Then stay out. None of these rules are unreasonable. Indeed, since you find them so unreasonable that you have to whine here about it, you sound like the kind of person that any group, that wants to get anything done, should keep out, lest they be trolled into wasting time on your moronic nonsense.

I seriously wonder what you would have done, 25 years ago, when "unprofessional behavior" would have gotten you booted off the entire Internet.

--
BMO

Re:Which part of Edit feature do they not GET?

[Anonymous Coward]

Any opinion not in the group is trolling.

So the few (trolls) get to hurt the many?

[rlh100]

Internet trolls have not been able to control their urges to hurt random innocent people. Make no mistake about it. The rape and death threats, the bulling, really do hurt people.

Twitter has finally gotten enough feed back from their customer base that trolling, bulling and other forms of online harassment are unacceptable. I am please that they are trying to do something about it. They will probably make some missteps. But they will make twitter better for most people and immensely better for a few people who are the target of the attacks.

If you don't like twitter trying to mildly enforce some simple rules of social decency and common courtesy, then go find some other free service and spew your vitriol there. That way the larger community can ignore you.

I have no sympathy because my adult daughter received her first rape threat when she was 11 when she posted a comment to a gamer forum. Just call me a California liberal but social decency and common courtesy make the world a better palace to live despite what Trump spews.

RLH

Re:So the few (trolls) get to hurt the many?

[rlh100]

No need to ask. I know that she, like 99.9% of all women would gladly put some limits on how she expresses herself if that meant reducing the vitriol and hate she gets on a frequent basis.

You are obviously a guy. Guys do not understand how women look at personal safety. A woman's personal safety is something she is aware of ALL the time. I call this a woman's safety tape. Sometimes it is in the distant background like when she is at home protected by locked doors. But during the day when she is out in public she is probably continuously evaluating her personal safety. Most of the time it is to say she "I am safe at this moment". But she probably regularly goes on high alert aware of her surroundings, who she is talking to, checking her actions and words, Keeping an escape plan in the back of her mind.

In general men have no concept of a woman's sense of personal safety. I only actively think about my personal safety when I go into a "bad" area, a dark alley, or am being actively confronted. I generally do not think about walking down the street or being in a public place. When a man gets a death threat or a rape threat, he can laugh it off because because he is a man. It is probably not a real threat. For a woman on the other hand it all threats are serious and real threats. Women get killed, raped, hurt every day. Just look at the news.

If you doubt me, ask your women friends, your sisters, your wife/girlfriend, your mother. Does she think about her safety: At a bar or public event? Waiting in line? Waiting for a bus or train? Walking down the street? Shopping? At work with the guy(s) that harass her?

So to answer your question: My daughter would gladly trade some limits on how she can express herself if it limits the rape threats, death threats, hateful comments she receives.

Women: comments please?
RLH

Anita's there...

[Anonymous Coward]

For those who think a lot of the comments are paranoid conspiracy theory, lets take a look at who's on this council:
https://about.twitter.com/safe...

Doing a quick scan, I recognized Anita Sarkeesian (search for "feminist frequency").

That's definitely a neutral unbiased third party who hasn't made controversial videos and never claimed that disagreement with her opinions were trolling and abuse.

Re:Which part of Edit feature do they not GET?

[cybordeath]

You don't get BITCHSLAPPED all the time APK?
When are you going to register an account anyways? It isn't particularly hard to do as you can see

I heard ZDNet gave your HOSTS engine 0/5 stars oooooh burn!

Who fucking cares?

[ArchieBunker]

Twitter is a free service. Don't use it if you don't like their policies.