back to article Twitter whacks 270,000 terror accounts, majority flagged by internal tools

Twitter removed more than 270,000 accounts for terrorism-related violations in the last six months of 2017 – and most of these were detected by internal tools. According to the anger platform's latest transparency report, which covers 1 July to 31 December 2017, this takes the total removed to date to 1.2 million. In the most …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    Free speech?

    What are you? Some kind of terrorist?

  2. Gordon Pryra

    Blah blah free speech blah blah

    Tell me anywhere in the world where you actually have free speech.

    Or where you actually have free speech (of a kind) like the UK, where that doesn't just means the right to spew lies and propaganda.

    The most vocal proponents of free speech are the ones using it to abuse others and make as much cash as possible into the bargain (look at the daily mail and the like for examples)

    In twitters case they may have a point, if it were not for the fact that their system seems to be used mainly by world leaders acting like children and the Kardashions.

    Think of the children!!

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Meh

      Re: Blah blah free speech blah blah

      "Tell me anywhere in the world where you actually have free speech."

      "Think of the children!!"

      on a college campus in the USA [more often than not], if your 'free' speech is in-line with the established political correctness, then it's ok. Otherwise, you get BANNED!

      I am concerned that Twitter may easily fall into THAT trap, censoring those opinions it doesn't like. for now, it's terrorism. As for gummint requests for information, you just have to assume they'll comply if you're up to something no good...

      And, if you want *TRULY* free speech, there's USENET and IRC.

      The bigger problems with censorship happen in the 'political correctness' realm, ALL of the time, from outright bullying to actual policies squelching "unwelcome" opinions. THAT is where the freedom of speech fight needs to happen. Tw[a,i]tter, not so much.

      1. handleoclast

        Re: Blah blah free speech blah blah

        The bigger problems with censorship happen in the 'political correctness' realm, ALL of the time, from outright bullying to actual policies squelching "unwelcome" opinions.

        Hah! I happen to agree with your conclusion. But I suspect we may have reached it for different reasons.

        I doubt that people who truly seek equality for minorities hate free speech. I strongly suspect that those who want to suppress certain types of free speech have latched onto political correctness as a disguise that many will not question. Suppressing certain types of free speech is the end, and political correctness the pretence used by some to achieve that end.

        I agree strongly with John Stuart Mill. Everyone should have the freedom to say anything, no matter how wrong we believe it to be, no matter how offensive we find it (he gives lengthy justifications for this). Everyone. Even you, bob. :)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Blah blah free speech blah blah

          "I agree strongly with John Stuart Mill."

          John Stuart Mill had the good fortune to be brought up in a very upper middle class academic environment and to be found a suitably well paid job that meant he had no economic worries and never had to come into contact with less fortunate people. Whatever his theories, he was so shielded from the everyday reality of Victorian England that I wouldn't rely on him for anything remotely practical.

          Also, his views on free speech only applied to people like him. Inferior other "races" like the Chinese or the Indians didn't get a look in. They were barbaric and it was our job to tell them how to run their affairs.

          Mill was progressive in some ways, but I doubt he would like Twitter. The wrong people (i.e. not philosopher kings like himself) would be using it.

    2. fluffybunnyuk

      Re: Blah blah free speech blah blah

      Speakers Corner is where you have free speech. People also have the right not to listen. Just once in your life if you havent done so, its worth going there and ranting for 10 minutes...

      Funny thing was when i tried it noone stopped to listen :(

  3. a_yank_lurker

    Free Speech and Consequences

    While I am an absolutist on Free Speech in that anyone has the right to say anything, anywhere I also realize there may very serious consequences based on the content. The mistake often made about Free Speech is there are no consequences; there are. Deliberately cause a panic leading to innocent deaths and you will see what kind of vacation facilities the locals provide for long term vacations. Make threats against someone and see what happens.

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: Free Speech and Consequences

      "Make threats against someone and see what happens"

      Or, promote racism and see if your employer questions your worth at the company...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Transparency

    I'd be interested in the algorithms that identify and disable "terrorist" accounts. I hear the term terrorist applied to anyone someone disagrees with.

    1. Trigonoceps occipitalis

      Re: Transparency

      "I hear the term terrorist applied to anyone someone disagrees with."

      Are your absolutely sure? I think you may be a terrorist.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Transparency

        @ Trigo...

        Their algorithms work so well on me that I don't even have a Twitter or FB account!

    2. Mark 85
      Devil

      Re: Transparency

      I surprised that there's not a check box somewhere that lists political parties and the party in power is allowed to delete the other parties. Think of it as a wet-dream for certain leaders.....

      1. bombastic bob Silver badge
        Unhappy

        Re: Transparency

        "the party in power is allowed to delete the other parties"

        a few years ago, back when Putin was first elected in Russia, there was this one Russian guy that posted on the alt.hacker newsgroup. After a few months, he stopped posting. he was occasionally saying anti-Putin kinds of things, didn't like Putin, thought it was the end of everything when he got elected, etc.. I was not convinced back then. Now I'm not so sure...

  5. YourNameHere

    And this is surprising.

    There is a reason countries like China mandate that every account has a legit, registered name behind it. While at first I thought this was just an attempt to stifle comments about the government by holding people accountable to their laws, its also a way of holding people accountable for other things as well. People are arguable dumb and will listen to almost anything and start believing anything.

    The question is where do you draw the line and who draws the line . :( :(

    Somebody needs to find Dr. Forbin and have him build an impartial colossus.

  6. tempemeaty
    Mushroom

    Russian Bot here...I'd like to comment on that...

    They have to talk all about how it was "Terrorists" now because their mountain of, "it's Russian Bots Bull Crapola" didn't work. As one of the thousands of Americans who Twitter closed accounts on for being a "Russian Bot", I'm not letting them get away with it. Jack Dorsey and his Twitter Generals are all about "Censorship". I don't think we should let them squirm out of their mountain of "Russian Bot" BS so quick...

  7. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge
    Trollface

    Was @realDonaldTrump one of them?

  8. Nick Kew

    The real bot army

    Surely what would really redeem twitter is to take down the 'bot army that powers the Inquisition in cases like this.

  9. John Crisp

    Only

    500 million fake accounts to go then.....

    They should follow @conspirator0

    Seems to be able to spot bots easily enough :-)

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