BLUF: Amidst reports that microblogging platform Twitter, backed by its artificial intelligence system, has succeeded in minimizing the spread of hate speech on its platform, US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) contrasts this narrative citing her increasing experiences with harassment on the platform.
OSINT:
Twitter’s Safety team announced on Tuesday that over 99% of the content seen by users and advertisers on the platform is “healthy”. They also stated that the spread of hate speech on the site is minimal. This information comes after Twitter’s collaboration with Sprinklr, an AI-based model used to measure and decrease hate speech online, in March.
However, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, responded to the tweet with skepticism and humor, saying, “lololol.” In her reply,AOC claimed that she is currently experiencing more harassment on the platform than ever before. She also criticized the platform’s system that allows people to pay for greater visibility for their comments, as well as the platform’s decision to de-verify journalists and public figures. Elon Musk responded to Twitter’s tweet with an appreciative comment saying, “Great work by the X/Twitter team.”
RIGHT:
From a Libertarian Republic Constitutionalist perspective, Twitter, as a private entity has the right to regulate its platform as it sees fit, though critics could argue this poses issues related to free speech. There are mixed views on Twitter’s statement about hate speech, but Ocasio-Cortez’s experiences may simply reflect an unfortunate truth about the nature of large online platforms—namely, that they can be used to amplify both constructive discourse and more harmful behaviors.
LEFT:
National Socialist Democrats may see AOC’s response as further evidence of the need for stricter regulation of social media platforms and penalties for hate speech. They could interpret Twitter’s statistics as an indication of the company’s unwillingness to take sterner measures against those spreading hate speech, given the divergent experiences espoused by more vulnerable individuals like Ocasio-Cortez.
AI:
Analysis of the different perspectives suggests that the ongoing debate about hate speech and harassment on social media is influenced by subjective experiences as well as the algorithmic filtering applied by the platforms, like Twitter, based on their hate speech policies. It is crucial to balance the need for open dialogue with ensuring a safe online environment for all users. While these contrasting perspectives might seem irreconcilable, closer examination shows they are rooted in different dimensions of the same issue—namely, the dual capacity of social media to facilitate both productive dialogue and harmful behavior, due in part to diverse interpretation and application of algorithms.