Nitwit has fit over twit hit: Troll takes timeless termination terribly

Can Twitter now save itself?

Decision time

With Jones in the public consciousness due to the Ghostbusters reboot, it hit the headlines that she had been bullied off Twitter. The company was then contacted by dozens of media outlets asking what its abuse policies were and why it wasn't enforcing them. And that sparked CEO Jack Dorsey personally to make the decision to ban Yiannopoulos permanently.

It created an immediate firestorm.

Yiannopoulos attempted to stoke the outrage, claiming that the decision was cowardly and an attack on free speech. He also attempted to rile up his followers by claiming Twitter was "a safe space for Muslim terrorists and Black Lives Matter extremists, but a no-go zone for conservatives."

They duly swamped Twitter claiming, falsely, that he had been banned for a negative movie review (it was because he had incited abuse on the service), that he was banned because he was gay (his sexuality had nothing to do with it), that Twitter stock price had fallen by 10 per cent (it hadn't – in fact it has gone up), and that it was the end of free speech. Many used examples of other offensive tweets (from Muslims and Black Lives Matter advocates) as a counterpoint to his ban, but that only served to highlight how much of a problem Twitter has with abusive users.

Meanwhile, other users were quick to point out that Yiannopoulos was free to continue to exercise his right to free speech but that Twitter was a private service and he had clearly and repeatedly broken its terms of service.

Despite putting a brave face on it, declaring "I just got banned from Twitter!" at the start of a speech he gave at an event in Cleveland, where the Republican National Congress is meeting this week, the decision to finally ban him is a big blow to his status.

Unwittingly highlighting the needy, egotistical drive behind his outrageous behavior, Yiannopoulos proclaimed: "Like all acts of the totalitarian regressive left, this will blow up in their faces, netting me more adoring fans. We're winning the culture war, and Twitter just shot themselves in the foot."

Dying light

And while simultaneously claiming to be rising above the fray, Yiannopoulos and Breitbart are reveling in their temporary spotlight, flooding the site's front page with story after story on the saga.

Just some of the headlines:

• ...Milo did nothing wrong...
• Breitbart editor: 'We're at war'...
• Timeline: Jones fought with 'trolls' hours before Milo mentioned her...
• Twitter, @Jack Allow Users to Call Black Breitbart Reporter 'Coon' - Repeatedly
• ...But Milo Banned Because Review Hurt Ghostbuster's Feelings...
• ...Flashback: CEO Denies Twitter Censors Users...
• ...War! How Breitbart Editor Reacted to Ban...

In truth, without the ability to communicate directly and in public through Twitter, Yiannopoulos has lost a megaphone that no one else will grant him.

His disproportionate influence died the moment "Account suspended" appeared. And Breitbart's willingness to accommodate the kind of self-admiration that Twitter has allowed Yiannopoulos to indulge in will end this week, if not sooner.

Many of @nero's followers have said they will leave Twitter in response to the permanent ban, implicitly suggesting that without them the service won't survive. In truth, such a move would be music to Twitter's ears, saving it an enormous clean-up effort. Most won't go through with their promise, of course, but will think twice next time they consider sending an offensive tweet to someone they don't know.

Far from the end of Twitter, the permanent ban on Milo Yiannopoulos is a golden opportunity for the social media company. It has been struggling to keep up with social media competitors; it is losing users; existing users are using the service less; it still hasn't found a way to make profits; and its reputation is at an all-time low thanks to the unregulated abuse of people.

This event presents Twitter with the opportunity to get back in control of its culture. Whether Jack Dorsey manages to make the most of that opportunity will be the most defining moment of his career. ®