See Dorsey’s full public statement in the following tweets:
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
If we succumb and simply react to outside pressure, rather than straightforward principles we enforce (and evolve) impartially regardless of political viewpoints, we become a service that’s constructed by our personal views that can swing in any direction. That’s not us.
— 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
Many more details here: https://t.co/58dc4fwjQz
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
Social Media Censorship
The suspension of Jones and Infowars from various prominent social media platforms is what many people consider to be a hot-button issue. Many conservatives maintain that banning Jones from the aforementioned platforms sets a dangerous precedent. On Thursday, the Infowars host took to Twitter to speak out; he stated that the suspensions pertained to “favored” ideas and speech versus their “opposed” counterparts.
This issue is not about #Infowars engaging in “hate speech” or “violating community standards.”
It’s about whose speech and ideas are favored and whose are opposed. #1a #FreeInfowars #IAmAlexJones #Censorship 🚫
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) August 8, 2018
The collective banning of Jones is not the first time that conservatives have expressed concerns regarding social media censorship. In May, Donald Trump Jr. stated that Instagram purposefully promoted negative hashtags associated with his name. Trump Jr. furthermore noted drastic declines in his Instagram analytics. Not too long afterward, President Donald Trump criticized Twitter for allegedly censoring prominent Republican leaders.