The Independent (Work Experience): Does Twitter Need Moderation?

This article was originally published by The Independent on 22 March 2013. Available online here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/too-rude-for-its-own-good-twitter-needs-moderation-8545918.html

As Britain waited for his 2013 budget, a tentative George Osborne joined Twitter, the social micro-blogging site. The Chancellor must have been prepared for some degree of abuse on his interactions page. But the torrents of invective that flooded the site in the hours following Osborne’s new profile raise a serious issue about expressions of contempt.

Yesterday Twitter turned seven. Since 2006, the outlet has challenged its users to post succinctly and effectively in 140 characters or less, a bastion of free speech for the modern mentality. The communicative approach represents an intuitive paradigm shift: we are a nation on the pulse. Short updates from prevalent social figures drove the popularity of twitter as an en vogue medium of expression.

Yet we are increasingly carried away by the kind of short, snappy and sometimes rash outbursts that - when they catch on - foster the creative qualities that can make Twitter's top trending topics so brilliant. On Wednesday, for example, if you were to click on the trends of either “budget” or “George Osborne” a stream of abuse and harassment would have popped up on your screen.

Paraphrasing George Osborne’s first ever tweet, one user posted “Today I’ll present a budget that shows what a complete and utter useless cunt I am”. Another bemused tweeter argued “shouldn’t you be fixing the economy instead of fucking about on twitter?” Some took it upon themselves to cram as many insults as is possible into 140 characters: “you’re a first class bellend, you overpaid, overeducated fox hunting twat.”

Of course Osborne is not the first person to feel the wrath of Twitter users. In fact, the phenomenon is becoming more mainstream. Olympians felt the force of trolls last summer, with Rebecca Adlington receiving tweets comparing her to a whale, and Tom Daley being subject to inconsiderate tweets about his deceased father.

Abuse

Action should be considered, especially when we examine the number of high profile people deactivating accounts: from TV presenters Kirstie Allsopp and Helen Skelton to footballer Micah Richards and beyond, the impacts of twitter misuse are concerning. Perhaps these celebrities could provide part of the solution: with billions of followers, the likes of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and One Direction could quite easily preach a better means of interacting on the Twitter platforms. Many of their followers are guilty of some abuse, whether it is sending threats to fellow fans, or mocking the artist’s contemporaries if their preferred singer doesn’t receive an award.

With the attacks happening at all levels – popular culture, political, racial, religious – is it time that Twitter invest in a scheme of censorship? When monitoring a site whose most defining feature is user interaction and integration, there's no easy answer. Twitter’s success is built off its ability to generate momentum on any topic at all.

While it might be impractical to impose a blanket ban on certain words or phrases, it is quite possible that Twitter could prevent certain terms becoming trendable, limiting the hashtag. The hashtag is a staple part in galvanizing a twitter movement and some of the more obscene trends get to the top in this way. #ReasonsToBeatUpYourWife and #fuckyouwashington are but two examples; another, #OnceYouGetMarriedYouCant, stems from our tendency to overshare (‘family friendly’ suggestions included: “sit on the toilet and clip your toenails wit the bathroom door open” and “keep those naked photos of your ex”).

Proactive approaches from Twitter developers may be the only means to tackle the problem of harassment. Despite the high-profile cases of breaking super-injunctions and jail sentences being served for mocking the adversities of our celebrities, users remain relatively unversed on the issue of acceptable Twitter actions. Crown Prosecution has issued a 14-page guide to social media prosecution and related laws, but there is still a tendency to believe that the blogosphere does not impact the physical world. Violent threats and campaigns of harassment are easily challenged in court.

Taking action

In fact, French anti-racism firms may have got the ball rolling by holding Twitter itself to account. The French Jewish Student Union and the J’accuse organisation have demanded a fine of $50million to be paid for Twitter not having handed over details of users whose abusive comments broke French law. The tag, #UnBonJuif (A Good Jew), instigated a string of abusive anti-Semitic posts on the micro-blogging site last year. Stéphane Lilti, the anti-racism groups’ lawyer, told FRANCE 24 “The 38 million euros cited, which is [the equivalent of] 50 million US dollars, is designed to make them [Twitter] wake up to the fact that protecting the authors of racist tweets is not acceptable.” Without doubt, Twitter wields a great responsibility for sharing and directing thoughts and should be penalised if they don’t monitor and act responsibly.

Safeguarding however comes with a risk. Increased filters of trending material could cause a delay in news transmission, and augmented censorship runs the risk of Twitter losing its dynamism. It would undoubtedly ensure a drop in popularity, and then there would be nothing to censor anyway.

At seven, Twitter seems to have been struck by a similar issue to Facebook. Just as other social network sites became bloated with memes and trolls, so the ingenuity that attracted new people and new modes of expression online risks being usurped by a proliferation of direct and personal attacks. This is not a new problem, but after the headlines about inappropriate and illegal posts on Twitter in 2012, it’s a wonder that users still felt justified to abuse the Chancellor so virulently, no matter how he has impacted their lives. 

The Greatest Album Of The Decade?

An abundance of controversy surrounds Gaga’s sophomore LP release, Born This Way. The album’s first eponymous single was the subject of an argument that the artist had exploited the homosexual world in order to promote her music. Subsequent release ‘Judas’ fared little better, with Catholic groups worldwide chastising the offering as nothing more than a cheap attempt to appear relevant. Unveiling the album’s artwork fuelled further criticism: the most poignant comment suggested the welding of Gaga to a motorbike was akin to a rejected ‘Terminator’ extra.  

For a disc that has been touted “the greatest album of the decade”, this image leaves a great deal for the material to negate. Gaga is not ignorant of such a fact. Her album delivers on its promise of being packed full of “sledgehammering dance beats”. Yet she manages to weave quite an intricate and delicate mix of social issues into her album nonetheless. The artist sings out in support of feminism, of gay rights, of romance (bad, or otherwise). Despite its party beat, the album’s message is to be true to oneself.

This is hammered home throughout. Opener ‘Marry The Night’, begins “I won’t give up on my life: I’m a warrior queen, live passionately tonight”. Its sombre start of organ chords highlights that this is an album of serious matter, regardless of how quickly these notes fade into a synth extravaganza that climaxes with an ever faster tempo. Single releases ‘Born This Way’ and ‘Judas’ follow in succession. Already, the album has set up stall as a fist-pumping anthem of self-loving and self-respect. 

“I wanted people to know that I really made a record” said Gaga when introducing the iTunes countdown to the release. Promotional singles have come thick and fast in the immediate pre-release period and these have noted the new directions of the artist. With such a plethora of influences, Gaga’s main challenge in this album was always going to be striking a balance that made the album flow neatly. “I wanted people to know that it was something that needed to be heard in its entirety.” Indeed, there is something much more rewarding from a complete listen: We journey through insecurity, to thanking all those who have been part of our lives, and all the Judas, Americanos and Bad Kids in between. These aren’t simply Gaga’s influences: it’s an album that is adaptable to all its audience.

Reinforcing such an ethos, Gaga picks at her varied and diverse fan base. ‘Americano’, a Spanish guitar track with flamenco flare, tackles forbidden love and immigration laws in one sophisticated swoop. Elsewhere, ‘Scheiβe’ infuses house and techno as an album highlight, yet tells women to respect themselves; you don’t need to speak German to “fight for your rights” and stop the… inequality. Rock-led ‘Bad Kids’ talks to every apathetic teenager in search of identity: “I’m a bitch”, “I’m a jerk”. There is a certain lavishness in Gaga’s creativity: she is sassy and silly on the one hand,  warbling to be “your hooker” and “as free as my hair”, and yet these indulgent metaphors are belted out with true feel and emotion, as well as being the most innovative expression tacts in twenty-first century pop. After all, in a cultural sense, Gaga proclaims herself to “just speak in future tense”.

When Gaga eventually slows her juggernaut for some evanescent melodies, their fragility is far from ballad relaxation. In fact, the album continues its dependence on synth-electronic revival. This is by no means detractive from the impact of the songs themselves: ‘Heavy Metal Lover’ is a smooth critique on fast lifestyles, and so the juxtaposition between subject matter and tempo creates a sensuous backdrop before which the sexual whims of washing a pony down are played out against fantasies of ruling the world. Again, Gaga masters the euphemism in a way that sees her graduate stylistically from simply “bluffin’ with her muffin”. 

‘You and I’ is a sumptuous charting of “lonely nights and lipstick on your face”, with a piano lead incorporating a sample from none other than Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ (a subversive reinforcing of the greatest album motto?), whilst ‘The Edge of Glory’ declares “we’re on the edge of something final we call life”. Gaga does not hesitate to reinforce the image of transcendence, and it is to her credit. “Put on your shades, cause I’ll be dancing in the flames”: she appears to purify herself at the end of an album full of blasphemy and dizzying pop synths, whilst adding an injection of jazz sax that is ever so refreshing.

Nonetheless, there is room for lyrical improvement. For all Gaga’s party pumping beats, there are few phrases that make a profound impact. As is often the case with tracks whose base is a party atmosphere, everything is quick, loud and explicit. Gaga manages this aspect well: where there could have been loss of focus, she remains succinct and to the point. However, in her straight talking, there is often a lack of an inspirational word or two: “I’m living on the edge of the law” and “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen” appear somewhat cliché additions to the artist’s resume. Maybe to be too deep is to miss the point, however. “This album is for you” reads the inlay: everyone is able to take away their own interpretation of the lyrics. And with tracks such as ‘Judas’ and ‘Scheiβe’ on the setlist, there is definite room for metaphor: after all ‘Hair’ is merely “surrealist extentionism” (get it, extensions… hair? Oh, that Gaga!)

Ultimately, it is Gaga’s creativity that detracts from the album. Due to a lack of self-reflection, no soft ballad, it appears that despite so many of the lyrical nuances pointing to an album of ordinary pop, the generic has been overlooked. Sometimes, the mainstream just wants a neat slice of pop music: after all that’s why it is called mainstream. No doubt a balance difficult to obtain, Lady Gaga has captured her flare, but failed to capitalise and exploit the pop genre as fully as one may have anticipated.    

Greatest album of the decade then? Simply, no. There is a great deal to praise about Born This Way, and it is most definitely one of the most exciting listens of the year due to its relentless energy and topical approach to music. Indeed, it is an album that should be heard in its entirety (and by entirety, the expanded edition is implied). Unfortunately in its attempts to achieve pure pop status, it overreaches itself. Perhaps this is not how it would be received on G.O.A.T. and maybe in that alien territory of boundless freedom, such an album would be the mother monster of LPs: for it evokes and oozes an ethos of freedom for each and every person throughout. However, in spite of Born This Way’s flaws, Gaga is certainly on the right track and the offering sees her quite literally on the edge of (musical) glory.