At TED 2019, Twitter CEO talks of follower counts, ‘likes’ and Nazis

Jack Dorsey fields questions about the platform’s future as public trust in social media ebbs. In response, users tweet to bash and fact-check his remarks.

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Are Twitter’s challenges for regaining consumers’ trust so ingrained in its structure that a significant remedy would require an overhaul, rather than targeted tweaks?

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sat down Tuesday for a casual interview at TED 2019, the popular conference series that focuses on technology, entertainment and design.

Dorsey’s responses suggest that quick fixes would do little to quell the rise of abusive language and misinformation on the platform.

He’s the latest social media honcho to venture into a high-profile setting to convince the public that the industry overall, and his company in particular, are striving to improve and deserve consumers’ patience. Twitter has faced scrutiny in recent years over how it handles abuse, hate speech and aggressive behavior on its platform.

Moderator Chris Anderson depicted Dorsey as the captain of the Titanic and questioned whether the CEO grasped the fear and urgency that so many feel about social media platforms’ outsize role in shaping public opinion.

TechCrunch wrote:

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