Filmmaker
CEO of Twitter, Dick Costolo. His crickets say don't post private information and drive innocent old people out of their homes, fearing for their lives. Unless you're a famous person. Or well-connected. Because, you know. That's good for the hitz.
I suppose, since this "KillZimmerman" account has been online for five days now, that CEO of Twitter, Dick Costolo, approves of vigilantism. As long as it's for, you know, a good cause. Like, y'know, dahitz.
h/t: VelvetHammer.
Twitter's non-response to this well-publicized violation of its own TOS indicates its willingness to accept anything, even the terrorizing of innocent elderly people, rendering its rules meaningless.
Spike Lee retweeted the address of an elderly couple, causing them to flee their home. He sorta-apologized last night for that ("I Deeply Apologize To The McClain Family For Retweeting Their Address.It Was A Mistake.Please Leave The McClain's In Peace.Justice In Court."), as did the original tweeter of the erroneous information, @maccapone, in a bunch of crazed all-caps assortment of tweets that are too tedious and mentally disturbed to quote here.
Thanks for closing the barn door, guys.
Let's note again that Twitter's Terms of Service clearly states that:
You may not publish or post other people's private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, street address or Social Security/National Identity numbers, without their express authorization and permission.
Problem is, what if you violate the TOS? The answer is apparently nothing.
I posed the question in my earlier post:
Rules are rules, Twitter. That one in particular has some wisdom to it. The question is, will you enforce it, despite Spike Lee's fame, fortune, and connections to President Obama, or will you be an instrument of terror in the world? How many innocent bystanders will be forced to flee their homes and fear for their lives because of your corporate cowardice?
This question, in various forms and flavors by many accounts over the course of the day, were posed to @twitter, @support, @safety, and @dickc, otherwise known as Dick Costolo, CEO of Twitter.
I also tried to contact various other people who work at Twitter to get a comment, to no avail.
The response was silence. Both Spike Lee's Twitter account, and @MacCapone's account, are still active.
Which I take to mean that it's open season on your private information on Twitter.
Take note, insane celebrities, stalkers, murderers, crazy people - just have a blast and post whatever you want! Force random people out of their homes. Make them cower and fear for their lives! The power is yours. Destroy whomever you like, whenever you like, in whatever way you wish. Twitter couldn't care less.
Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of fame.
Update 1: Velvet Hammer reminds me of the 5-day-old "KillZimmerman" account on Twitter (see picture above). I suppose CEO Dick Costolo approves of this as well.
contact ladd @ filmladd dot com
