This is exactly why we have problems with social media giants being in charge of determining what constitutes “hateful content.” It’s extremely subjective and really comes down to, “If you disagree with me and my political views, YOU ARE HATEFUL!”
Case in point.
The Center for Immigration Studies says Twitter is not allowing it to promote tweets that contain phrase “illegal alien” or “criminal alien,” because it’s hateful and hurtful.
Raise your hand if you’re shocked by this.
1/ Twitter is not allowing us to promote any tweets including the phrase “illegal alien(s)”, citing it as Hateful Content. However, the phrase “illegal aliens” has been used in both federal law and by the Supreme Court.
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018
2/ From Arizona v. United States (2012): “There is no reason Arizona cannot make it a state crime for a removable alien (or any illegal alien, for that matter) to remain present in Arizona.”https://t.co/D3MDrD0gGr
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018
3/ Title 8 of the United States Code, Section 1365: “The Attorney General shall reimburse a State for the costs incurred by the State for the imprisonment of any illegal alien or Cuban national who is convicted of a felony by such State”https://t.co/2Gz5hGWjDM
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018
4/ US District Court Judge Andrew Hanen, 2015: “There is a certain segment of the population that finds the phrase ‘illegal alien’ offensive. The court uses this term because it is the term used by the Supreme Court in its latest pronouncement pertaining to this area of the law.”
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018
5/ Code of Federal Regulations: “Illegal alien means any person who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States or who has not been authorized by the Attorney General to accept employment in the United States.”https://t.co/XUtTarjR7b
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018
Yesterday Twitter rejected four Center for Immigration Studies tweets for use in the Center’s Twitter Ads campaign, alleging hateful content. (Several others were approved.) All four tweets use the statutory phrases “illegal alien” or “criminal alien”, and all of the tweets referenced law enforcement, either at the border or in the interior. One of the tweets contained a powerful Daily Caller video showing illegal aliens in camouflage carrying large backpacks across the border unimpeded.
Twitter’s only response to an inquiry about why promotion of the tweets was rejected: “We’ve reviewed your tweets and confirmed that it is ineligible to participate in the Twitter Ads program at this time based on our Hateful Content policy. Violating content includes, but is not limited to, that which is hate speech or advocacy against a protected group.”
Once again– unbelievable, yet believable.
This is what happens when social media giants act as the “hate speech” police. The term “illegal alien” suddenly becomes “hateful.”
What’s next?