1. Hateful messages online: the context
2. Our work to get support for Disabled people
3. Joining the Twitter Trust and Safety Council
4. Joint Statement on the Disbanding of the Twitter Trust and Safety Council

Hateful messages online: the context

In July 2020, as the lead organisation for the London DDPO Hate Crime Partnership, we followed up with Twitter on some hateful and discriminatory tweets that had been reported but not taken down by Twitter for over two weeks. The story was reported on by Disability News Service. This violated Twitter’s own guidance for removal of hateful messages and the UK Online Safety Bill was still in the consultation phase.

The online world has become part of our homes, using our computers and other devices at home makes receiving online hate feel like the security of our homes are being violated, and we are not safe from abuse not matter where we are. Leaving hateful messages on social media to be retweeted, liked and shared magnifies the feeling of being targeted, that we don’t belong. It is not acceptable for Disabled people to be targeted like this, and for social media companies to continue to avoid their responsibilities to provide a safe online space. Being able to connect with other people online has become part of most people’s every day experience and Disabled people should not be excluded from this part of modern life, due to fear of being targeted for hate and exploitation.

Our work to get support for Disabled people

We met with the Home Office to raise awareness of how online hate impacts Disabled people, who are often using social media as a means to connect with the outside world when physically isolated.

We raised awareness of the specific issues faced by some of our community, who need in-person social groups and trusted relationships to be able to navigate the online world; some Disabled people are groomed online, which can lead to serious crimes, like sexual and financial exploitation. Some Disabled people are targeted by hateful messages that include comments like, ‘Disabled people are a drain on our resources, people like you should be killed at birth.’ or are targeted because of their Disability Rights campaigning on social media.

Included in our recommendations was the need for social media companies to fund community organisations to provide in-person support for those that need it, to prevent further harm from taking place.

We also became part of a consortium led by Glitch, to campaign for online protection for women to be included in the Online Safety Bill. This consortium was also in agreement that social media companies should be made to fund in-person support, often provided by the third sector and reliant on charitable grants. Social media companies should also be heavily fined for violations in preventing harm and hateful messages, similar to how Germany has implemented, which would also provide much needed funds for in-person support services.

You can read our full response to the Online Safety Bill consultation.

Joining the Twitter Trust and Safety Council

Due to our work on preventing online harm, we were invited to become a member of the Twitter Trust and Safety Council in 2020.

Due to recent events, with Elon Musk buying Twitter and the ensuing confusion and conflict about how Twitter would develop under this new leadership, we were in the process of deciding whether to resign. This decision was, abruptly and without notice, made for us with the announcement from Twitter that their Trust and Safety Safety was disbanded. Other members of the Council who have been in contact with the press have received a torrent of abuse online, based on the misinformation being spread online about the work of the council.

Below is a joint statement from 16 members of the now disbanded Trust and Safety Council.

Joint Statement on the Disbanding of the Twitter Trust and Safety Council

December 14, 2022 [Read as a PDF]

We, who are former members of the Twitter Trust and Safety Council, condemn the dramatic changes to, and arbitrary enforcement of, content moderation policies and practices at Twitter, including the abrupt disbanding of the Council on Monday night.

The Trust and Safety Council existed to give expert independent advice to Twitter on its policies, practices, and products and the impact they may have on the rights and safety of Twitter users.

Contrary to disinformation recently spread by Twitter leadership, the Trust and Safety Council did not make decisions about specific posts or accounts on behalf of the company, nor did we have any say in Twitter’s investment or approach to illegal content, such as child sexual abuse material.

Over recent weeks, we have been gravely concerned by Twitter leadership’s apparent disregard for the due process and investment of resources required for effective content moderation.

Substantive policies prohibiting hate speech, harassment, disinformation, and other forms of abuse are vital to setting expectations for healthy discourse and robust participation from a diverse array of users. Transparent moderation procedures that follow norms of due process are likewise crucial to ensuring that users are treated fairly.

Since Twitter’s ownership changed hands, the full Council had not been consulted and planned meetings of the Council were repeatedly rescheduled until the Council was unceremoniously disbanded less than an hour before our first scheduled meeting. Some Council members had hoped that Twitter’s new leadership would continue to work with, and benefit from, the well-established and diverse expert advice that the global membership of the Council offered. But, despite assurances from senior staff at Twitter about their commitment to continuing to work with the Council, Monday night’s last-minute actions show that internal decision-making has since contradicted this.

We condemn the irresponsible actions of Twitter leadership in jeopardizing the safety of Council members, including those who resigned before Twitter disbanded the Council, by amplifying disinformation about us and the Council’s purely advisory role, sparking huge levels of abuse targeted at the resigning members. Some of us had recently called on Twitter to provide an explanation of what Twitter leadership is doing to correct the false accusations leveled against Council members, which have created safety risks and undermined any trust or ability for members to candidly advise Twitter staff. Rather than respond to our requests, Twitter disbanded the Council.

We call on Twitter, in the strongest terms, to cease making ad hoc, unaccountable, and damaging content moderation decisions and to commit to implementing policies and practices that promote the safety, expression, and participation of its users.

Signed,

Sixteen members of the former Trust and Safety Council