On Tuesday we told you about Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey proposing another bad idea that just might kill off Twitter; “Twitter is looking to change the focus from following specific individuals to topics of interest.” But isn’t following specific individuals the whole point of Twitter?

But wait, there’s more!

Now Twitter is promising to take a more proactive approach to abusive tweets by removing them even before users report harassment.

Twitter begins purging offensive tweets, is testing a mute button https://t.co/1JvWKztFHV pic.twitter.com/PFa9t6OoEj — Ad Age (@adage) April 16, 2019

Ad Age reports:

In fact, Twitter says it only started proactively removing abusive tweets in the past year. Before that it relied on users to report harassment first. Now, Twitter says it identifies 38 percent of the abusive tweets that get penalized on the platform — before the policy change last year Twitter uncovered zero percent of abusive tweets before first being tipped off. “People who don’t feel safe on Twitter shouldn’t be burdened to report abuse to us,” Twitter wrote in a blog post Tuesday attributed to Donald Hicks, VP of Twitter service, and David Gasca, senior director of product. “Previously, we only reviewed potentially abusive Tweets if they were reported to us. We know that’s not acceptable, so earlier this year we made it a priority to take a proactive approach to abuse in addition to relying on people’s reports.”

Read that last paragraph keeping in mind that tweeting “Learn to code” was considered targeted harassment of journalists, so we don’t put a lot of faith in Twitter’s ability to determine what constitutes “abuse.”

I am the dog the big bad dog the hallway monitor!!!! pic.twitter.com/cMRj4FQdBF — Dylan Burba (@DylanKeith24) April 17, 2019

what if offensive is 100% truth… ever heard the expression "the truth stings" — ConservativeCT (@AceRothstein16) April 17, 2019

And what happens when what is offensive also happens to be the truth? — Noremacam ? (@Noremacam) April 17, 2019

According to the left that is already the issue. They often find the truth to be offensive, and inciting violence — James (@13Fox4Lyfe) April 17, 2019

Offensive tweet = anything that offends progressives. Threats against conservatives won't be flagged. — Dave Kleikamp (@ShaggyKC) April 17, 2019

I find it offensive when people are offended. — Right Badger (@RightBadger) April 17, 2019

"Please stand by as Twitter conducts a slow but certain death…." — ORTaxpayer (@MiddleRoader23) April 17, 2019

Now it begins the silencing. — TheBreeze (@RightCoastBreez) April 16, 2019

Gotta test it out and get it ready for 2020! — Jack (@NotaTreeStump) April 17, 2019

@parscale Seems like they are getting their practicing in and doing dry runs before the primaries and election. — Elaine Ermis (@ElaineErmis) April 17, 2019

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