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Free Speech Or Hate Speech?
Shortly after Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla TSLA took over Twitter in the name of free speech, slurs against Black Americans tripled from an average of 1,282 times a day to 3,876. Slurs against gay men rose to 3,964 times a day from 2,506 and antisemitic posts referring to Jews or Judaism soared more than 61 percent in the two weeks after Musk acquired the site for $44 billion in late October.
These findings, from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, the Anti-Defamation League and other groups that study online platforms provide a look at how Twitter conversations have changed. While the numbers are relatively small, researchers say the increases were atypically high.
White Nationalist Hate Speech
In response, Ben & Jerry’s has decided that it will end all paid advertising spending on Twitter due to what the company says are concerning developments since Musk’s purchase of the social media platform.
“Hate speech is up dramatically while content moderation has become all but non-existent. In addition to the changes on the platform that have led to an increase in hate speech, Musk himself has doubled down on dangerous anti-democratic lies and white nationalist hate speech,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday. “The platform has become a threatening and even dangerous space for people from so many backgrounds, including people who are Black, Brown, trans, gay, women, people with disabilities, Jewish, Muslim and the list goes on. This is unconscionable in addition to being plain bad business.”
Musk And Twitter’s Toxicity
Ben & Jerry’s said they are joining the business, civil and human rights community in taking a stand against the harmful changes at Twitter.
“Musk and Twitter’s toxicity and tacit endorsement of hate and violence goes against everything our company stands for. Twitter must act today to end the extremist and violent content on the platform. Until that happens, Ben & Jerry’s will spend no money with Twitter and we call on all businesses and partners to do the same.”
For the time being, Ben & Jerry’s will continue to maintain a presence on Twitter to connect with their community, “but will revisit that presence as needed pending developments in this space.”
Ben & Jerry’s began in 1978 when school friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened their first scoop shop in a renovated Vermont gas station.
Ben & Jerry’s cofounder Ben Cohen started a non-profit cannabis line recently to help right the wrongs of the drug war. Ben & Jerry’s was acquired by Unilever UL in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s
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