Demand Twitter Head of Legal and Policy ban white nationalists from the platform.

Vijaya Gadde writes and enforces platform rules for millions of Twitter users.

Demand Twitter's Head of Legal and Policy ban white nationalists from the platform.

Take Action

Dear John.

Twitter silenced Black comedian Jaboukie Young-White and suspended his account on Martin Luther King Jr. day because Young-White criticized the FBI’s role in King’s assassination.1,2 Yet Twitter refuses to suspend the account of Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute, and other white-supremacist organizations that have been classified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).3  

At the expense and safety of Black people, who make up 26% of Twitter users, Twitter has selectively applied the rights of free speech and the First Amendment.4 While CEO Jack Dorsey is the face of the multi-million dollar social media company, it is Vijaya Gadde, Head of the Twitter Legal and Policy team, who writes and enforces platform rules for millions of Twitter users and has the power to ban white nationalists from Twitter.5

SIGN THE PETITION: DEMAND VIJAYA GADDE BAN WHITE NATIONALISTS FROM TWITTER.

The suspension of a popular Black comedian who spoke truth to power demonstrates how Twitter selectively decides when its platform policies should be enforced. While Gadde’s team suspended Jaboukie’s Twitter account for calling out the FBI, Gadde hypocritically posted a famous Dr. King quote, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”6 Like so many other companies, Twitter wants the reputation of uplifting Dr. King’s legacy, without taking steps to defend the Black users who actively carry it. 

Vijaya Gadde must exercise the full extent of her power as Global Lead for Legal, Policy, Trust and Safety at Twitter and ban white nationalists from the platform. 

SIGN THE PETITION: DEMAND VIJAYA GADDE BAN WHITE NATIONALISTS FROM TWITTER.

Until justice is real,

--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jenette, Cierra and the rest of the Color Of Change team

References:

  1. Jaboukie Young-White, Twitter post, January 20, 2020, 3:21 p.m., https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226617?t=8&akid=40486%2E4731121%2EIiKzCE.
  2. @jaboukie, Account suspension, January 20, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226618?t=10&akid=40486%2E4731121%2EIiKzCE.
  3. “So, Uh, Why Is Richard Spencer Still on Twitter?,” Rolling Stone, November 4th, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226619?t=12&akid=40486%2E4731121%2EIiKzCE.
  4. “7 Surprising Statistics About Twitter in America,” Convince & Convert, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226620?t=14&akid=40486%2E4731121%2EIiKzCE.
  5. “Twitter’s Top Lawyer Is Final Word on Blocking Tweets—Even Donald Trump’s,” Bloomberg Technology, January 15, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226621?t=16&akid=40486%2E4731121%2EIiKzCE.
  6. Color of Change, Twitter post, January 21, 2020, 9:37 a.m., https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226622?t=18&akid=40486%2E4731121%2EIiKzCE.

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