Twitter’s Crowd‑Sourced Take on World Leaders – 49,000 Voices and a Dash of Drama
Picture this: Twitter, the social‑media giant that’s spent the last decade breathing fire over a former U.S. president, decided to ask the masses for their thoughts on how to treat world leaders on its platform. The result? A whopping nearly 49,000 responses in 14 languages – a frenzy of opinions that even the platform’s data scientists couldn’t ignore.
Survey 101: What Was Asked?
- Should a world leader who breaks the rules get “greater” or “lesser” consequences than everyday users?
- Is it ever acceptable to permanently suspend a sitting president or prime minister?
- What would you do if a head of state spread Covid‑19 misinformation?
- Should a candidate for agriculture tweet you can destroy a group of people? (Lesson learned: no, please!)
- Multiple‑choice options ranged from “take no action” to “permanently suspend the account immediately.”
In a nutshell, the company crunched the data for fresh angles and creative solutions, all while hinting it’s less than ready to reveal the big picture.
Beyond Twitter: What’s Happening on Facebook?
Facebook’s independent oversight board is poised to announce whether it will lift its own indefinite suspension on Trump this Wednesday. The board added that it’s received a staggering over 9,000 comments on the case – more than any other, which explains the wait.
Youtube’s Verdict? It’s Volatile Too
YouTube says it will lift Trump’s channel ban once it deems the real‑world violence risk has diminished. The platform, like Twitter, keeps its own set of rules that give elected officials a freer hand.
Twitter’s History of Listening
With 199 million daily active users, Twitter has a track record of polling its community. Earlier months saw 22,000 responses on a verification policy survey and another 6,500 answers when tackling synthetic media (deepfakes).
Final Thoughts
Whether the results will influence policy remains a mystery, but what’s clear: social media giants keep consulting the crowd, civil‑society groups, and experts as they navigate the stormy waters of politics and freedom of speech. The next chapter in the Trump saga is yet to be written – stay tuned.
