Twitter is looking into whether it should ban white supremacists

Twitter has begun conducting research to determine whether it should ban white supremacists, Vice reported on Wednesday.

Vijaya Gadde, Twitter's head of trust and safety, legal and public policy, told Vice that the company believes that "counter-speech and conservation are a force for good" and can "act as a basis of de-radicalization." But she said that Twitter is "working with academics" on "research here to confirm that this is the case."

Gadde also said that Twitter is working with outside researchers on "white nationalism and white supremacy and radicalization online and understanding the drivers of those things," asking, "is it the right approach to deplatform these individuals? Is the right approach to try to engage with these individuals?" Twitter did not comment on whether this research will lead to any changes in its policy.

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Although Twitter's policies already ban "hateful conduct," white supremacists like former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke have been allowed to remain on the platform. Facebook, on the other hand, bans white supremacy and in March said it was banning white nationalism as well. Vice spoke with numerous experts about Gadde's comments, several of whom expressed bewilderment that Twitter is only looking into this issue now, with Media Matters for America President Angelo Carusone saying, "I mean, these quotes are a disaster, I'm going to be honest."