Twitter CEO Under Fire For Agreeing To Hannity Interview While Ignoring Other Media Outlets
It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey would appear on Sean Hannity’s Fox News radio show to discuss some of the concerns conservatives have had with the social media giant. The assumption here is that Hannity will bring up so-called “shadow banning” of right-wing media figures as well as concerns over suspensions and permanent bans that have been handed out to right-wing provocateurs.
News: @jack will be on @SeanHannity's radio show this afternoon to talk about @Twitter and the issues being raised by Republicans on the platform. I've been as critical as anybody but give them credit for engaging many of us publicly and privately. Lets see what actions follow.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 8, 2018
While Dorsey has faced criticism from the right over their belief that the tech platform is practicing anti-conservative bias against them, Dorsey is simultaneously under fire for his refusal to kick far-right conspiracy theorist off of Twitter despite other platforms removing him and his site InfoWars from theirs.
We didn’t suspend Alex Jones or Infowars yesterday. We know that’s hard for many but the reason is simple: he hasn’t violated our rules. We’ll enforce if he does. And we’ll continue to promote a healthy conversational environment by ensuring tweets aren’t artificially amplified.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
Truth is we’ve been terrible at explaining our decisions in the past. We’re fixing that. We’re going to hold Jones to the same standard we hold to every account, not taking one-off actions to make us feel good in the short term, and adding fuel to new conspiracy theories.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
If we succumb and simply react to outside pressure, rather than straightforward principles we enforce (and evolve) impartially regardless of political viewpoints, we become a service that’s constructed by our personal views that can swing in any direction. That’s not us.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
Accounts like Jones' can often sensationalize issues and spread unsubstantiated rumors, so it’s critical journalists document, validate, and refute such information directly so people can form their own opinions. This is what serves the public conversation best.
— jack (@jack) August 8, 2018
With Dorsey’s explanation of the Jones decision going over like a lead balloon with many reporters and journalists as he seemed to put to onus on the media to keep Jones in check, Dorsey going on a right-wing opinion show to discuss issues with his company was met with even harsher condemnation. One thing that really stuck in the craw of some in the media was the fact that Dorsey rarely grants interviews to the mainstream media and yet here he was popping up on a non-journalist’s program.
My colleague @jolingkent at NBC Nightly News has been asking @jack for an interview for, no joke, five years.
He's going on Hannity today.
This is getting ridiculous.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 8, 2018
It's not even his TV show, by the way! It's his radio show! We'll take him in any format.
We'll talk through two cups attached by a string.
Would really appreciate it if @Jack talked to a journalist who didn't spend weeks of his show implying Seth Rich was murdered by the DNC.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 8, 2018
The CEO of Twitter has ignored requests from journalists for days, weeks, months, years…but he'll do Sean Hannity's radio show!
— Brett ________ (@BrettRedacted) August 8, 2018
excited to attempt to do tech journalism by calling 1-800-941-SEAN to ask Jack some content moderation questions thru intermediary Sean Hannity https://t.co/alrNdGdz7T
— Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) August 8, 2018
jack won't even appear on @AM2DM – a show his own company partnered with us to produce to air exclusively on twitter https://t.co/sMjrgFQ8MV
— David Mack (@davidmackau) August 8, 2018
Looks like Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is sitting down w/Hannity soon. Remember, I wrote last month about Dorsey's secret meetings with conservatives, including Hannity, to address allegations of bias. ICYMI: https://t.co/IfnfQXA93I
— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) August 8, 2018
After NBC News’ Ben Collins pointed out his colleague Jo Ling Kent had been trying to score an interview with Dorsey for five years to no avail, Kent noted that she once agains reached out to Twitter in hopes of making it happen.
I just asked @TwitterComms again. @jack let’s make it happen! https://t.co/DallyJbFaE
— Jo Ling Kent (@jolingkent) August 8, 2018
Mediaite’s Aidan McLaughlin highlighted that this was Dorsey’s second radio hit in a week. The other one — Fox News’ Guy Benson.
.@Jack appearing on Hannity's radio show today, a week after appearing on Guy Benson's show. Both radio hits, both with Fox Newsers. https://t.co/pmgftkyMVU
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) August 8, 2018
Others took issue with Dorsey showing up on the program of someone who has a history of spreading right-wing conspiracy theories.
Going to a Seth Rich truther to talk about these issues seems a smidgen on the nose. https://t.co/gIHhey3YL1
— Jane Coaston (@cjane87) August 8, 2018
what better way to demonstrate your commitment to enabling bad faith conspiracists than taking your appeal directly to more bad faith conspiracists https://t.co/XGTKuHQtqy
— Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) August 8, 2018
Not only does @jack allow Alex Jones, who makes $$$ from peddling conspiracy theories to keep grifting on Twitter, Jack is now going to appear on Hannity who FWIW also makes $$$ from peddling conspiracy theories. https://t.co/VMpvCDWRWN
— Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) August 8, 2018
Big mistake by @jack to take Sean Hannity seriously https://t.co/DpehVSahZR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 8, 2018
Jack, who won’t ban conspiracy theory blowhard Alex Jones, is going on Hannity.
This makes perfect sense.
Vox piece titled: "Sean Hannity has become the media’s top conspiracy theorist.” https://t.co/vjtrbKayvT https://t.co/F5YJdfB1Q3
— Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) August 8, 2018
.@jack reacting to everything that's happened this week by sitting down for an interview with sean fucking hannity is *chef's kiss* https://t.co/yTSmgGKQ19
— Jay Willis (@jaywillis) August 8, 2018