24 February 2021
Twitter’s Modi Operandi
India is not only the world’s largest democracy, it also accounts for the largest number of internet shutdowns and take down requests to social media companies globally. The recent stand-off between Twitter and the Government of India (GoI) over suspending more than a thousand accounts supportive of farmers’ protests ended with Twitter falling in line with the GoI’s demands. This may set a dangerous precedent for digital platforms enabling other democratic governments to stifle online dissent. Continue reading >>
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12 January 2021
Letzter Vorhang für @realdonaldtrump
Dem amerikanischen Präsidenten wurde mit seinem Twitter-Account die große Bühne genommen Ihre Entscheidung war angesichts der beispiellosen Eskalation der Ereignisse in Washington nicht nur rechtmäßig, sondern richtig und im Grunde überfällig. Ein Stück über Macht und soziale Medien Continue reading >>27 July 2020
No Country for Dissent
On July 25, Twitter ‘withheld’ or disabled access to two tweets made by activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan. Prashant Bhushan had posted two tweets in the end of June, criticizing the Supreme Court and especially its current Chief Justice. Based on the Tweets, the Supreme Court initiated suo moto contempt proceedings against Bhushan on July 21 and Twitter’s withdrawal comes two days after the first hearing in the case. Continue reading >>
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10 June 2020
Liberal Censorship
The clash between Trump and Twitter epitomises a new dynamic that raises important questions and dilemmas for the liberal order: the dilemma of liberal censorship. Continue reading >>
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30 May 2020
Trump vs. Twitter
Donald Trump is among the world’s most famous and prolific Twitter brawlers, picking fights — while the sitting President of the United States — with, among others, Greta Thunberg, supermodel Chrissy Teigen, and his former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Now he finds himself in a fight with Twitter itself, and he is bringing the power of his high office to bear. After Twitter began flagging tweets from the President under a new fact-checking policy, Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) that threatens actions against platforms engaged in “Online Censorship.” The legal effects of the President’s action are likely to be limited. The broader political effects are harder to gauge. Continue reading >>26 May 2019