Twitter can't seem to catch a break since it has another issue on its hands just after having a new CEO appointed. The social media platform has been accused of censoring content in Turkey, to which former Twitter CEO Elon Musk responded scathingly.
Twitter Limits Access to Some Tweets
The platform has been criticized for limiting access to certain tweets in Turkey during what is arguably the most heated elections in the country. The blocked posts were said to be in response to the legal process, and doing otherwise could have Twitter completely restricted.
In response to legal process and to ensure Twitter remains available to the people of Turkey, we have taken action to restrict access to some content in Turkey today.
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) May 13, 2023
Bloomberg columnist Matthew Yglesias took to the platform to express his insight on the matter by quoting the announcement. He stated that the Turkish government asked Twitter to censor opponents right before an election, which it agreed to do.
Musk, also known for his controversial tweets, responded by asking: "Did your brain fall out of your head, Yglesias?" and said that it was between limiting access to some tweets or being throttled completely, proceeding to ask the journalist which one he preferred.
Did your brain fall out of your head, Yglesias? The choice is have Twitter throttled in its entirety or limit access to some tweets. Which one do you want?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 13, 2023
The limitation or block could affect the progression of elections as polls show that Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the candidate opposing the current president, is slightly ahead. Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been on the seat of the presidency for two decades.
According to Engadget, Erdogan's loss in the election could have political implications regarding the country's relationship with other powers which include Russia and NATO. Kilicdaroglu's platform promises change in Turkey's domestic policy, reports say.
As of right now, the opposition to the current president of Turkey is ahead by 11 percent. The move puts into question Musk's vision of Twitter being a platform for free speech. Some would expect him to take the path of pride and restrict Twitter entirely as opposed to "censorship."
Although, it's still unclear which content will be restricted in Turkey, so no one can say for sure how it will affect the elections. The platform may still put up the blocked tweets, but they will be labeled stating that the visibility is limited, therefore not showing what it says.
Twitter Limit of Reach
Twitter implemented a new policy just a little over a month ago where some tweets would be limited if it has violated Twitter rules. They stated that although people have the right to express their opinions without censorship, they also have the responsibility to keep users safe.
The policy, which the company calls "Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Reach," is a way of enforcing Twitter rules without having to take down the tweet. It is the proposed solution to the "leave up or take down" conundrum the platform has with certain content.
If a tweet was labeled as having violated the platform's rules, it will state: "Visibility limited: This Tweet may violate Twitter's rules against Hateful Conduct." In some instances, a user can still choose to view the tweet if they want to.
The author of the tweet with limited reach will also see themselves if their post was restricted. The platform plans to expand the new policy's reach not only for the Hateful Conduct policy but to others as well in the coming months.
