Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Is Twitter a danger?

An email has arrived. Posted by Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States. The former president expressed his opinion: “Twitter is a DISGRACE and a DANGER to our Country.”

The former president’s message included:

“We’ve known Twitter is biased against conservatives for a long time, but now they have ramped up their disgusting actions to levels unseen.

I think the American People are appalled by corrupt Twitter’s blatant and stupid censorship of Conservatives.” 

Opinion from a media ethical point of view

For my part, social media – including Twitter – does not need my support, but I think it is a fundamental form of democracy where anyone can have their say.
Freedom of speech is a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

But there are limits to this right. Thus, no one has the right to make a statement that is suitable for inciting others. However, several Republican-minded people, including the former president, have made statements that are apt to discriminate against others. These statements can be seen as incitement against others.

I don’t want to protect twitter editors, but you need to know that press ethics states that every media editor in chief is responsible for every word that appears. So, if an editor decides that someone is violating the rules of expression, they have the right to override both the person making the statement and their statement, as well. Therefore, in my opinion, it is not censorship to delete some comments from social media or to ban someone.

 

T. Barat