Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1064/29873
From The Socialist newspaper, 13 November 2019
Readers' opinion: Twitter's banning of political ads threatens workers' voice
Joshua Allerton, Wolverhampton and Black Country Socialist Party
On 30 October, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, announced in a tweet that Twitter plans "to stop all political advertising" on its platform. His apparent reasoning behind this was his belief that "political message reach should be earned, not bought."
This may look like a courageous move by a social network giant which made over £100 million revenue in just the UK last year. But actually, it will have very little consequence for their finances. Only 21 advertisers across the EU ran ads on Twitter during the European elections earlier this year.
For the working class, the consequences are much worse. The policy will still allow big companies in the pharmaceutical and fossil fuel industry to buy ads that promote and distribute misinformation. However, an activist who dares criticise these companies will be seen as political, and therefore banned from buying ads to do so.
For Dorsey, it seems he wants to add fire to the rivalry with Facebook, which made $857 million on political and issue-based advertisements from May 2018 to June 2019. Nick Clegg, ex-deputy prime minister and now Facebook's policy chief, recently announced it is considering restricting politicians' ability to use highly detailed demographic data to target voters with ads.
Tax dodgers
Facebook has bitten the bait. And while the tech giants fight over who is more 'democratic', it will be the working class which has its voice stifled more through their actions.
What should be done? To begin with, Twitter could start paying more taxes. Last year, the UK arm of Twitter only paid £41,000 in corporation tax despite making more than £100 million. Immediately, this money could be spent on decent mental health provision and other services needed by those users affected by social media.
We need to nationalise Twitter, and other social media platforms, and bring them under democratic working-class control. Regulation and licensing done with no democratic input would be a transfer of power from company to the capitalist state. Our media could become even more biased towards capitalist propaganda.
By nationalising social media, advertising and profit is no longer the main factor. In fact, networks like Twitter and Facebook could really become social. Workers would be able to voice their opinions more freely than in the workplace, movements could be organised, and you could challenge your MPs more directly.
The social data we could gather from these networks would be important in democratic economic planning. Instead of capitalist businesses looking at where to plug products, under a socialist society we could find out quickly where needs are not being met and provide the services that are required.
For Twitter, this is just a publicity stunt to convince their users that 'they're not political'. Although we know the answer, I still pose the question that was in the last issue of the Socialist: whose side are you on, Jack?
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In The Socialist 13 November 2019:
What we think
Attacks show elite fear a Corbyn election win
News
Strike, protest, vote - Kick the Tories out
Labour MP targeted by right wing stands as independent
Green Party offers no alternative for young people and climate change chaos
International socialist news and analysis
Bolivia: Right-wing coup ousts Morales
Kshama Sawant reelected in Seattle
Workplace news
'McStrikers' demand £15 an hour
UCU strikes: Union means business in fight against employers
Postal union determined to resist bosses' attacks
PCS union general secretary election: Enthusiastic support for Marion Lloyd
Frimley NHS Trust strikes: Health workers walkout against privatisation
Bradford libraries and museums: Unite members escalate action against cuts
RMT union members at SWR to walk out in December
Transport for London - Justice for cleaners!
Education
Save education - Kick out the Tories
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Leicester campaigns to save our NHS
Fighting for free education, jobs, homes, and a future worth living
Socialism 2019 rally: "Socialist change needed to end climate change"
Trade union conference to force secret police disclosure
Barking: protest brings pledge to remove dangerous decking
Help socialist ideas spread this election: donate!
We saved Chatsworth Ward - two years on
Readers' opinion
Readers' opinion: Twitter's banning of political ads threatens workers' voice
Theatre: On Bear Ridge - an examination of loss, set in a post-apocalyptic world
Socialism 2019 - what you thought
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