Guy Benson’s point about being cruel to journalists who have recently lost their jobs is a good one and honestly, we haven’t seen too many people being that unkind to these journos. Sure, you have people who don’t feel all that sorry for them considering the way they’ve been covering a large chunk of Americans for the past few years but nothing THAT mean.
But the idea of Twitter suspending people over the phrase, ‘learn to code’ was even too much for balanced Benson.
I don’t think this is a kind thing to say to someone who’s just lost their job — even if the “point” is highlighting how some journalists have talked down to others — but this heavy-handedness is beyond satire. https://t.co/AsfiDtataC
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 28, 2019
He offered further clarification after speaking with a source at Twitter.
A source at Twitter just called me to explain this a bit more. I'm told the particular term ("learn to code") isn't the problem; it's the targeted & coordinated harassment of specific individuals, which has long been against the platform's rules. Perhaps a useful clarification.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 28, 2019
And this could be true.
But then again, after watching the way Twitter ignored the targeted harassment of a bunch of high school kids last week some folks aren’t exactly buying their explanation.
i.e. Covington
— Jay K (@JayKlos) January 28, 2019
I guess Catholic schoolboys in red hats, don't meet the criteria of specific individuals.
— TD Thompson (@TonkaThompson) January 28, 2019
I would buy that if they had removed tweets like Kathy Griffin's call to dox the Covington Catholic students. They haven't so I don't. Perhaps Twitter is full of the leftist bias we are rightly calling them on.
— Debbie Wardell (@dtownewardell) January 28, 2019
So, kinda like targeted & coordinated harassment of Catholic high school kids from Kentucky?
— Brent Jackson (@Atlknox87) January 28, 2019
So, is "learn to mine" cool?
— Pete (@rationalstoic) January 28, 2019
Oof.
So wait let me get this straight…
Mob attacks are now against the rules on https://t.co/ulAsVpvFWY??????
— Atlas ¯_(ツ)_/¯ (@Atlas_Shruggd) January 28, 2019
When it comes to certain individuals.
Just not all individuals.
So telling a recently laid off coal miner “learn to code” is also abusive?
— Atlas the Titan (@atlas_thetitan) January 28, 2019
Twitter doesn’t seem quite as concerned about coal miners being targeted.
Funny how that works out.
Related:
Join the conversation as a VIP Member