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Twitter And Trump Are Putting Private Citizens’ Lives At Risk
How will Twitter deal with one of the country’s most prominent cyber bullies leading the free world?
Last week, when Barack Obama granted clemency to Chelsea Manning, it was heralded as an important (if far from complete) victory for human rights. Manning, a former intelligence analyst who was imprisoned for leaking information on the military, was subjected to grave violations behind bars, including inhumanely long stretches in solitary confinement and the withholding of vital services to support her transition as a transgender woman.
What a difference a week makes.
Yesterday, our new president, Donald Trump, lambasted Manning, opening her up to further abuse at a time when she will already be heavily targeted and require substantial protection to ensure her safety. And he used, of course, Twitter to do his dirty work.
Setting aside the flagrant hypocrisy of the tweet — Trump has said far worse about Obama — it was just the latest time…