There's a Twitter account that copies President Trump’s Tweets to test if Twitter will suspend the account, even though the contents of the Tweets are the same. Many people are in a high-stress environment at the moment and extra critical of what others say on social media, with many expecting people to be held accountable for what they say online.
The recent tragedy in Minneapolis is unfortunately so common that Hollywood films feature similar incidents. Since the incident took place, many have reacted differently with some peacefully taking to the streets, others looting stores, and some using social media to express their thoughts and feelings on the matter. In response to the protests and looting, President Donald Trump sent out a controversial Tweet recently, one that many have been quick to point out violates Twitter’s rules due to it condoning acts of violence.
The @SuspendThePres Twitter account copies the President’s Tweets as an experiment to see if Twitter will suspend the account. The suggestion is if Twitter does suspend the account then it must be biased towards the President, considering both accounts Tweet the same information. The account creator, who also uses the @BizarreLazare handle, recently confirmed that the experimental account received a brief suspension - for posting the same controversial Tweet the President did.
Twitter & Its Exception Clause Explained
Twitter acknowledges that President Trump is different to most average users, and it's not just Twitter. Other social media platforms also seem to treat the President with more leeway and this has led to one Facebook employee quitting, while other employees staged a digital walkout. In Twitter's case, the social media network has a specific set of guidelines that recognizes how some users are exceptions to the rules. Basically, Twitter will suspend accounts that promote violence, unless, they met the necessary criteria to be deemed an exception. The exception clause will apply to an account provided that the user is verified, has more than 100,000 followers, and the account represents a current or potential member of a government body. Meanwhile, the copy account fails to meet the same criteria.
As a platform, Twitter has shown support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Yet, at the same time, the exception clause exists. The social media service may need to recognize its responsibility considering people use Twitter to share news about protests and those Tweets are equally of public interest. Furthermore, Twitter needs to ask itself if the platform is also accountable for violence? For example, while the social media platform might be unsure of what action to take, @SuspendThePres neatly highlights how Twitter is aware that some of President Trump’s Tweets may encourage violence.
One reason why Twitter might be more ambivalent than it should be is the fact President Trump uses the platform as a way to communicate with the American people. In this sense, banning Trump might not only destroy a line of communication, but could also financially damage the social media company. Furthermore, Twitter might treat the President differently as it understands other platforms are allowing the same content with even fewer restrictions. By keeping the President's account active, it gives Twitter some control over the messages relayed, even if that control is not as robust as some people expect, or comparable to others accounts Tweeting the exact same content.
Source: Will they suspend me?/Twitter