The Yorkshire Post says: Test of Twitter as social media giant pledges to act
WITH social media abuse an unfortunate reality for most in the public eye – and a prevalent factor from discouraging others to stand for election for fear of becoming a target themselves – the tech giants behind platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have a responsibility to effectively tackle the problem.
As such, it is heartening to hear Twitter’s vice president Bruce Daisley acknowledge to this newspaper that its platform has created a system where controversial or angry posts generate more engagement and feed into the polarisation of politics that has been so apparent in the discussions around Brexit.
Mr Daisley says positive steps are being taken, with three times more abusive accounts being closed down than a year ago. But he also admits trying to make Twitter a force for good and more effective at promoting “everyday stories of kindness” will be a slow process. The reality is redressing the balance has to be an urgent priority.