History of Censorship on Twitter (X)

Early Years and Policy Development

-   2009: Introduction of Verified Accounts due to trademark lawsuit,
    signaling more structured content management.
-   2012: Twitter adopts “micro-censorship” policy, allowing content
    removal or blocking based on local laws.

Political Influence and Government Requests

-   Increased Compliance: Twitter has complied with government takedown
    requests, with a significant increase post-Elon Musk acquisition
    in 2022. Compliance rates reportedly reached 98.8%.
-   Notable Countries: Turkey and India are among the countries with
    high numbers of takedown requests due to stringent internet
    regulations.

High-Profile Incidents

-   2020: Blocking of the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story,
    raising concerns about election interference and platform bias.
-   Twitter Files: Post-acquisition under Musk, internal communications
    were disclosed showing government influence on content moderation.

Post-Musk Era

-   Free Speech Advocacy: Musk’s vision for Twitter as a “digital town
    square” focused on free speech.
-   Higher Compliance Rates: Despite free speech rhetoric, Twitter under
    Musk has complied with censorship requests at a higher rate,
    particularly from authoritarian regimes.

Public and User Sentiment

-   Pre-2015 Perception: Users felt Twitter was more of a free platform
    before major political events.
-   Post-2015: Perception of increased censorship, especially around
    elections and the COVID-19 narrative.
-   Musk’s Era: Mixed feelings with some users noting a freer platform,
    while others criticize compliance with government requests.

Summary: Twitter’s journey with censorship reflects a complex balance of
free speech advocacy, legal compliance, and political pressures. The
platform’s policies have evolved, adapting to changes in leadership,
technology, and global socio-political environments.