Twitter’s new CEO faces irresolvable tensions between free speech and moderation
Parag Agrawal will have to draw fine lines
New rules
Twitter’s moderation strategy shifted during Dorsey’s stint as CEO. While the company once had a laissez-faire approach, it became more hands-on amid mounting concerns about misinformation and hate speech.
In recent years,Twitterhas banned political ads, launched new misinformation warnings, andintroduced a controversial “hacked materials” label.The company also famously fact-checked and then banned former President Donald Trump.
Dorseydefended the move, but expressed unease about “the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation.”
Agrawal will also have to draw lines between free expression and harmful speech.
A balancing act
The new CEO’s past comments on moderation have already sparked fierce debate.
In a 2020interview with MIT Technology Review, Agarwal said Twitter focused more on potential harms than arbitrating truth:
Conservatives and free speech activists warn the comments are a portent of growing censorship. Yet other critics are more concernedabout curbing misinformation and hate speech.
Agarwal’s approach to these tensions will be a defining issue of his tenure as CEO.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.
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