Civil rights leaders condemn Musk choice to carry Trump Twitter ban

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Trump advisor Steve Bannon (L) watches as President Donald Trump greets Elon Musk, SpaceX and Tesla CEO, earlier than a coverage and technique discussion board with executives within the State Eating Room of the White Home February 3, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Photos

Civil rights leaders swiftly condemned Twitter proprietor Elon Musk’s choice to carry former U.S. President Donald Trump’s ban from the platform, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO of breaking commitments he gave them simply weeks earlier when he first took over the platform.

“In Elon Musk’s Twittersphere, you may incite an revolt on the U.S. Capitol, which led to the deaths of a number of folks, and nonetheless be allowed to spew hate speech and violent conspiracies on his platform,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson stated in an announcement. “Any advertiser nonetheless funding Twitter ought to instantly pause all promoting. If Elon Musk continues to run Twitter like this, utilizing rubbish polls that don’t signify the American folks and the wants of our democracy, God assist us all.”

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Musk allowed Trump again on the platform Saturday after conducting a ballot on Twitter asking customers whether or not he ought to. Trump was completely expelled from Twitter beneath its earlier administration within the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, revolt on the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers labored to certify President Joe Biden’s election victory. Twitter management on the time feared Trump’s continued presence on the platform might result in additional incitement of violence as he continued to falsely declare the election was stolen from him.

Musk’s use of the Twitter ballot to find out Trump’s destiny on the platform shocked many customers, because the billionaire had stated simply weeks earlier that he would type a content material moderation council to make main coverage choices and determine whether or not to reinstate banned accounts.

Earlier this month, Musk had a name with civil rights leaders from teams together with the NAACP, Anti-Defamation League, Free Press and Shade of Change to debate issues over content material moderation on the platform. Musk had additionally been working to reassure advertisers that the platform wouldn’t turn out to be a “free-for-all-hellscape.”

However shortly after the assembly with civil rights leaders, a few of those self same teams known as for advertisers to halt spending on Twitter, saying mass layoffs on the platform betrayed Musk’s commitments to creating the platform secure for customers.

After Musk’s choice to permit Trump to return, lots of these teams doubled down on their calls.

“Until and till Musk could be trusted to implement Twitter’s prior group requirements, the platform will not be secure for customers or advertisers,” the #StopToxicTwitter coalition led by Accountable Tech, Free Press and Media Issues for America stated in an announcement. “For these nonetheless promoting on Twitter proper now: know that you’re contributing on to an erratic billionaire’s decimation of Twitter and its speedy devolution into utter chaos.”  

“In lower than three weeks Musk has gone again on each promise he made to civil-rights leaders and advertisers,” Free Press co-CEO Jessica J. González stated in an announcement. “Musk both modified his thoughts or lied to civil-rights leaders and advertisers. Both approach, Musk has confirmed himself to not be a person of his phrase.”

Twitter and Musk didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

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