Recap & Response to a Thread on Speech

Sometimes a Twitter thread is easier to read as a blog post.

The below was originally posted on Twitter.

1) Good thread by @yonatanzunger with a bunch of useful truths. Recap & comments from me below.

2) Speech can be used as a weapon against other speech: https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914609013722984448
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914609721696559109
See also @superwuster arguing that the 1st Am is obsolete in an era of attention scarcity.

Fight between Rioters and Militia, from Pen and Pencil Sketches of the Great RiotsImage in the Public Domain.

3) People bear diff costs of bad speech & harassment, disadvantaged often most affected:
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914609927729147904
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914610451782156288

4) Understanding & combating speech that reduces engagement can further a speech maximizing policy goal:
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914611676497899520
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914611742247809024
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914612024126038016

5) Having + stating an “editorial voice,” gestures, public perception & examples also can be important:
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914612173023744001
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914611921038409729
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914612262790402048

The Frame, from TypographiaImage in the Public Domain.


6) Also, he gives great pointers to smart folks in the online community field:
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914609375523852288
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914611296150188032
https://twitter.com/yonatanzunger/status/914611486881808384
And of course there are many more, incl: Heather Champ, @juniperdowns, Victoria Grand, Monika Bickert, Shantal Rands, Micah Schaffer, @delbius, @nicolewong, @zeynep, @zephoria, @StephenBalkam, @unburntwitch, @noUpside, @EthanZ,  @jessamyn, @sarahjeong + many many more incl great non-US folk. And including the folks & orgs on the various advisory councils:
https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2016/announcing-the-twitter-trust-safety-council.html
https://www.facebook.com/help/222332597793306/ (and others)
As @yonatanzunger says, this work is a team sport that advances with help from all around.

7) I have some Qs re his 47 USC §230 (CDA) points. I don't know a case of something like his “editorial voice” breaking immunity or otherwise causing a “huge legal risk.” Indeed that was the point of §230 originally. So, asking experts: @ericgoldman & @daphnehk what do you think?

8) Also, I don’t think “maximizing speech” is quite the right goal or that every service should have the same goal. I want something different when I go to Facebook v Twitter v YouTube.
Also, I want more than one good service whose arch + policies (and, sure, “editorial voice”) support an extremely wide diversity of views being able to flourish, be expressed well & be easy to find & interact with including from outside social circles. But your mileage may vary.

9) Naturally, I also disagree that Twitter folks (including me) “never took [these issues] seriously,” provided “bullshit” explanations, were naive, and chased traffic over good policy. Was there & think I'd know.
But, taking that sort of beating is kinda part of the job. And, maybe I’m too biased from working & learning these issues at platforms incl many at Google, Twitter & in govt w/ @POTUS44.

10) Anyhow, I’m very glad @yonatanzunger chose to post this thread to Twitter & I hope the suggestions part is read widely.

Printing Press, from Typographia. Image in the Public Domain.