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TWITTER’S CEO HAS taken personal responsibility for the company’s lack of action when dealing with abuse and trolls on the service.
In a leaked memo obtained by The Verge, Dick Costolo told employees he was “frankly ashamed at how poorly we’ve dealt with this issue during my tenure” and said he took “full responsibility” for the lack of action.
The remarks were in response to a question on an internal forum relating to a story by Lindy West, who has been the target of harassment and abuse on Twitter. When one of the employees asked whether the service could do more, Costolo responded:
We suck at dealing with abuse and trolls on the platform and we’ve sucked at it for years. It’s no secret and the rest of the world talks about it every day. We lose core user after core user by not addressing simple trolling issues that they face every day.
He concluded by saying it would “start kicking these people off right and left and making sure that when they issue their ridiculous attacks, nobody hears them.”
In a follow-up memo, Costolo reiterated that he was taking full responsibility for Twitter’s slow response to the problem and will make sure that the necessary support to address this problem would be provided.
So now we’re going to fix it, and I’m going to take full responsibility for making sure that the people working night and day on this have the resources they need to address the issue, that there are clear lines of responsibility and accountability, and that we don’t equivocate in our decisions and choices.
Twitter has been heavily criticised for its lack of action regarding trolling, abuse and harassment on the service. While it has promised to address the issue, there are still numerous examples of people being abused, threatened and harassed on the service.
The company will holding its earnings call later tonight where it will update investors on its progress and plans for the year. The company has already introduced a number of new features in recent weeks such as group messaging, video content, and a new deal which will see tweets appear on Google’s search results.
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The Journal also suck at dealing with trolls. Just saying.
Too be honest there really isn’t much trolling on this site.
A fair few accuse others of being trolls when the reality is they just hold completely different views. The world gets thrown around a lot here, especially in political or economical discussions.
Well said Jason.
Very true, and not just on the Journal. The term is sometimes used if someone challenges the general consensus on a subject, essentially being utilised in shutting down debate.
The comments on Thejournal are rarely vindictive , but an awful lot of replies play the man and not the ball.
I’d love to see a bit more self-policing and a bit less ad hominem.
Stories with Gerry Adams- “Child killers… Peodophiles…
Murderers…”
Stories about Michael Martin- “Shur de ruend de country…”
Stories about Enda Kenny- “Blue shirts…”
Stories about Labour- “traitors….”
You can predict the outcome of the comments section just by the headline.
No one actually talks about the story itself, bombard the comments section with the usual things.
Shut up Jim you fool!
(Joke)
I agree completely. The technology ones are funny though. “apple are great, no android are better, no apple are better….. . ” funny how enraged some people get enraged over the smallest inconsequential thing. Also the grammar police are entertaining. Get to work on my comment grammar gardai
I have been called a troll for having a different opinion.
I really dislike trolls i.e. commenters who support the government on anything.
Really ?
I usually get called
Psycho
Nut job
Conspiracy theorist
Tin foil hat
Loon
For having a different opinion.
Oh come on.
Surely you’d have to support any resignation announcement?
There is a world of difference between one having an opinion and how one puts that opinion across Glen.
Dara
Anyone on here that shares a similar opinion too myself is straightforward in expressing their opinion
So
What’s your point ?
My point is that, when you label anyone who disagrees with your point a FG head office account – it does leave you open to be called a few names.
We’ll leave it at that I think.
Dara
Well if the blue shirt fits !
That’s because you have the WRONG opinion. I’m great, I always have the right one I find.
Why are they conflating rape and death threats with trolling?
“Anyone on here that shares a similar opinion too myself is straightforward in expressing their opinion”
There’s a difference between being straightforward expressing an opinion and preaching it like it’s dogma while dismissing any evidence to the contrary without any critical thinking.
Jason
Well that’s the whole thing. One side dismisses the others evidence and that’s the way it’s always going to be. The issue is you have people from the “mainstream ” view that insult, attack and bully those who hold an alternative view.
It’s a comments section, not a discussion board.
Trolling has lost all meaning and is totally misused by most people. A troll specifically refers to somebody who disingenuously engages in discussion with the purpose to derailing, or stifling that debate.
It does NOT mean everyone who is a d*ck on the internet, or everyone who holds a different opinion, or people who won’t listen to reasoned debate, people who throw insults, harass or threaten other people on the internet. While trolls often will use those tactics to “troll”, that is not how they are defined.
So dicks saying he sucks trolls
This is going to lead to more false flagging and victim feigning from feminist groups online.
The comments women who identify as feminists get on Twitter are disgusting – the world is a better one without violent and disgusting threats of rape in my opinion.
To late for Mairia Cahill. What will SF do when trolls are blocked…
Infiltrate the massed ranks dissident BlueBots perhaps……just like Maria!
Does Dick Costolo’ to troll……..even if it leaks!?!
have your say