Twitter should be more proactive in protecting its users from abusive and unacceptable comments, and more responsive to reports of abuse, says social media law consultant Emma Sadleir.
This comes after a recent petition reportedly gathered more than 30 000 signatures calling on the social media platform to make it easier to report abuse after a feminist campaigner was reportedly repeatedly threatened with rape. A 21-year-old man was arrested in Manchester, UK, yesterday on suspicion of harassment, after Caroline Criado-Perez faced a barrage of hostile tweets, including threats to rape and kill her.
Twitter's GM for the UK, Tony Wang, has responded to the petition, saying the company is testing ways to simplify reporting of abuse.
Sadleir says Twitter has generally been reluctant to respond to reports of abusive or inappropriate tweets, tending to only get involved with cases of child sexual abuse and intellectual property infringement. "The problem is that Twitter is based in the States and they have something called section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which states the provider of the Web site is not responsible for any content if it is posted by users."
Sadleir says the only time Twitter will really respond to reports of abuse is when it is ordered by a court to hand over information.
Twitter's abusive behaviour policy also encourages users to rather appeal to their local authorities when they feel they are being verbally abused. "Twitter will investigate every report received, but if something has gone beyond the point of a personal conflict and has turned into credible threats, whether it be online or offline, you should contact your local authorities, as they are in the best position to assess the threat and intervene or assist as necessary," the platform says on its Web site.
Sadleir also notes that jurisdictional boundaries make it difficult for South African users to take legal action against Twitter, as it falls under US jurisdiction.
No more cyber-bullying
Sadleir says South Africans are not helpless against online abuse and can appeal to the South African Police Service for protection under the Protection from Harassment Act. "You can lay a charge of crimen injuria, and then you will go to court and get a protection order under the Protection from Harassment Act. It can happen quite quickly."
Sadleir says the Act makes specific provision for cyber-bullying and online abuse, allowing users to get a protection order against someone they do not even know.
She notes, however, while Twitter cannot continually monitor all the content on the platform, it should be much more responsive once something gets reported to it.
"It's a forum that is very much open to abuse and they [Twitter] are the keeper of the keys, as it were. They are often the only way people can take action against [people who verbally abuse others], and therefore Twitter should be much more responsive."
Share