Early Years and Policy Development
- 2009: Introduction of Verified Accounts due to trademark lawsuit, signaling more structured content management.
- 2012: Twitter adopts “micro-censorship” policy, allowing content removal or blocking based on local laws.
Political Influence and Government Requests
- Increased Compliance: Twitter has complied with government takedown requests, with a significant increase post-Elon Musk acquisition in 2022. Compliance rates reportedly reached 98.8%.
- Notable Countries: Turkey and India are among the countries with high numbers of takedown requests due to stringent internet regulations.
High-Profile Incidents
- 2020: Blocking of the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story, raising concerns about election interference and platform bias.
- Twitter Files: Post-acquisition under Musk, internal communications were disclosed showing government influence on content moderation.
Post-Musk Era
- Free Speech Advocacy: Musk’s vision for Twitter as a “digital town square” focused on free speech.
- Higher Compliance Rates: Despite free speech rhetoric, Twitter under Musk has complied with censorship requests at a higher rate, particularly from authoritarian regimes.
Public and User Sentiment
- Pre-2015 Perception: Users felt Twitter was more of a free platform before major political events.
- Post-2015: Perception of increased censorship, especially around elections and the COVID-19 narrative.
- Musk’s Era: Mixed feelings with some users noting a freer platform, while others criticize compliance with government requests.
Summary: Twitter’s journey with censorship reflects a complex balance of free speech advocacy, legal compliance, and political pressures. The platform’s policies have evolved, adapting to changes in leadership, technology, and global socio-political environments.
