How accountable are social networks?
Should Facebook or Twitter do more to clean up their platforms from bullying or direct threats?
Yes... and no, says News Stream contributor Nicholas Thompson.
In the case of Twitter, he says its in-tweet report abuse button might be the best way for the network to deal with online abuse.
"It allows Twitter to self-police without Twitter taking the extreme step of saying, 'we're going to ban this kind of speech'... which always gets you into some kind of trouble," Thompson says.
"Twitter's general policy needs to be to let more speech happen. It shouldn't get in the business of restricting speech except in extreme and particular circumstances."
Click the video above for more of our conversation about encouraging expression while discouraging the trolls.
On Twitter
A distinction needs to be made between adults and minors. The bullying problem is most acute in the case of underage users. We dont permit the sale of firearms to children without parental consent, businesses should not be profiting from endangering children. It is sad that the profit motive blinds the media to this problem. The general rule in the USA is that if a business sells a product that causes customer deaths, the business is punished. But its OK to kill teenaged girls because . . . . . ? Stop signing up 14 year olds without parental consent. guys. The fact that lobbyists legalized does not make it right.