Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has defended his company’s decision not to ban far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones off its platform.
In a series of tweets, Dorsey explained that Jones have not in anyway violated the company’s rules, while urging journalists to be more professional when picking information of Jones.
“We didn’t suspend Alex Jones or Infowars yesterday,” Dorsey tweeted Tuesday in response to claims that Twitter had done so.
“We know that’s hard for many but the reason is simple: he hasn’t violated our rules.
“We’ll enforce if he does. And we’ll continue to promote a healthy conversational environment by ensuring tweets aren’t artificially amplified.”
Twitter was notably absent from a list of big tech companies that cut some ties with Jones and his InfoWars site this week. Apple, Facebook and Google’s YouTube removed content associated with Jones and InfoWars for violating their policies.
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The InfoWars app is still available on the Apple and Google app stores.
Dorsey called on journalists to “document, validate, and refute” information posted by accounts like Jones’ “so people can form their own opinions.”
We didn’t suspend Alex Jones or Infowars yesterday. We know that’s hard for many but the reason is simple: he hasn’t violated our rules. We’ll enforce if he does. And we’ll continue to promote a healthy conversational environment by ensuring tweets aren’t artificially amplified.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
Accounts like Jones’ can often sensationalize issues and spread unsubstantiated rumors, so it’s critical journalists document, validate, and refute such information directly so people can form their own opinions. This is what serves the public conversation best.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
InfoWars is notorious for spreading demonstrably false information and conspiracy theories on a host of issues.
It has suggested that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax, and that the September 11 terrorist attacks were an inside job orchestrated by the US government.
