Twitter Throws the Bozo Flag on Trolls
Twitter Throws the Bozo Flag on Trolls
Twitter used to brag that it was “the free speech wing of the free speech party,” but recently the party was crashed by the company’s security team, who launched a protocol aimed to decrease users’ exposure to abusive content. It’s both a step forward and a step back. Forward because it’s effective. Back because it’s a tactic that’s been around since the 90s.
If a user begins tweeting abusive messages, triggering the protocol will cause them to be seen only by those following them. If the follower retweets the message, it won’t be visible to those who follow that user. In the 90s, making posted content only visible to the poster was called “throwing the Bozo flag” or being sent to “banned camp.” Several of my larger clients still successfully use that tactic.
At Twitter, the restriction is temporary, usually lasting 12 hours, and, unlike Bozo flags of the past, the affected user is notified with a “We’ve temporarily limited some of your account features” because of “potentially abusive behavior.”
While there is room for improvement (such as an appeals process for those who feel they weren’t breaking the rules), a sizable “free speech” backlash, and accusations that the company is making the changes to become a more lucrative to potential buyers, I applaud Twitter’s efforts to reduce trolling. As Twitter’s vice president of engineering Ed Ho said, this is one step toward effectively reducing abuse and the campaign will continue until there is “a significant impact that people can feel.” I’m feeling it.
