IDIOCY
Social Media Users Furious Twitter Hasn’t Banned Alex Jones – as Its CEO Defends Keeping Him

iTunes.
Spotify.
Facebook.
YouTube.
All these top platforms and more on Monday banned conspiracy theorist and fake news promoter Alex Jones, primarily for hate speech.
Conspicuous in its absence? Twitter.
Alex Jones has spent years falsely claiming the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took 26 lives, including 20 young children, was a “false flag” operation and that “no one died” there. He’s made life hell for parents who lost children in the massacre. Just today we learn his attorney is trying to publicize the home addresses of two of the parents who lost their children to a madman shooter at the Connecticut school.
Jones has spent years attacking LGBTQ people.
He promoted the dangerous “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory.
He’s been called a racist and part of the alt-right.
And he’s still on Twitter.
Why?
Here’s what Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey says to defend the decision to not oust Jones:
Truth is we’ve been terrible at explaining our decisions in the past. We’re fixing that. We’re going to hold Jones to the same standard we hold to every account, not taking one-off actions to make us feel good in the short term, and adding fuel to new conspiracy theories.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
Accounts like Jones’ can often sensationalize issues and spread unsubstantiated rumors, so it’s critical journalists document, validate, and refute such information directly so people can form their own opinions. This is what serves the public conversation best.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
A top Maine newspaper blasted the Twitter chief:
You know, @jack our days are pretty full as it is without cleaning up your website for you pro bono. Just sayin.https://t.co/PP8RaS0H3y
— Portland Press Herald (@PressHerald) August 8, 2018
Jack Dorsey’s insistence that journalists should be the firewall to fend off fake news purveyors is just not good enough for many who are furious that Twitter has not banned Alex Jones.
And Dorsey’s claim that it’s up to journalists to police the social media site was so brazen and unfair he was forced just hours ago to try to make amends:
One of the most important constituencies we serve is our journalist population. Has been since day 1. We don’t mean to shift the work here. We must build tools to help (and need to work together to do that). We can’t be a useful service without the integrity journalists bring. https://t.co/sARY4SgsHt
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
But many on the social media site are angry, and are taking to Twitter to show why the Twitter CEO’s thinking is just plan wrong.
Using Dorsey’s tweet suggesting it’s up to journalists to refute fake news, some are tweeting wild accusations and finding other ways to mock the Twitter co-founder, hoping to make change – and presumably to get Twitter to boot Alex Jones.
For example:
Jack is a Nazi pedophile crisis actor who should be mercilessly and endlessly tormented and if I understand correctly, this is entirely fine to say because I didn’t @ him and it’s the responsibility of journalists to refute my assertions.
— No Diana Only Zuul (@dianagentile) August 8, 2018
More:
If only journalists had publicized the fact that the Sandy Hook murders did, indeed, take place. Thanks @jack! https://t.co/6wAJlsyXQ7
— Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) August 8, 2018
The best response to someone falsely shouting fire in a movie theater is for other people in the same movie theater to politely mumble ‘perhaps this is not accurate’ while everyone runs out in a panicked stampede.
— Anil Dash (@anildash) August 8, 2018
Others are attacking Dorsey’s decision outright, and finding ways to express their anger and outrage:
It’s even simpler than that, @jack: Alex Jones harassed grieving parents to the point where they could no longer visit their children’s graves. And you’re okay with it. Say it that way, @jack. Keep it simple! https://t.co/9sVAYsmBHr
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) August 8, 2018
Having slept on it, I find @jack‘s foot-shiuffling rationale for allowing Alex Jones to continue to use Twitter more pathetic than I did yesterday, and I write that with a feeling of some amazement.
— William Gibson (@GreatDismal) August 8, 2018
After @Jack said last night that he’s not kicking Alex Jones off Twitter, Bob’s Burgers writer @WendyMolyneux suggested a day of Twitter silence on Friday December 14th, which will be the 6 yr. anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. I will be participating. pic.twitter.com/6uanEURv10
— Shannon Coulter (@shannoncoulter) August 8, 2018
These are the rules Alex Jones didn’t violate, per @jack pic.twitter.com/FCr9ietDo6
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) August 8, 2018
This is bullshit, @jack. You greet Alex Jones *better* than most users. Verification carries status and privilege. https://t.co/fFl9mqSfcL
— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) August 8, 2018
If #Twitter won’t ban Infowars when Alex Jones obviously violates rules against targeted abuse and hate speech, just who would #Twitler ban? pic.twitter.com/WciA6wzbG6
— ÆMarling (@AEMarling) August 8, 2018
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