I seconded a motion on the use of Twitter/X, the motion criticised the seeming scofflaw approach by twitter/x and called for protection for workers who wished to avoid it and called for the GMB to further restrict its use of the platform and to also call for employers to withdraw also. It seems that HMG have stopped advertising there.
The motion said,
CEASE USE OF X
This Congress notes the generation of sexualised images of children via the Grok system on the X platform is of grave concern. This material contributes to a culture that normalises and trivialises child sexual abuse, fuels demand for exploitative content and can cause real harm to children and survivors. It is unacceptable for employers to use, promote or advertise on platforms where there is credible evidence of systemic failures to prevent sexualised imagery of children and to respond effectively when it occurs.
We call on the GMB to lobby for employers to:
- Cease using X as a corporate communications, marketing, customer service or recruitment channel, and to end paid advertising, sponsorship, data sharing or other commercial relationships with X, until robust and independently verified safeguards are in place to prevent the creation and circulation of sexualised images of children and to respond swiftly and transparently to any such incidents.
- Adopt clear policies stating that the organisation will not use or fund platforms or tools that enable or tolerate sexualised images of children, and to embed these policies within procurement, risk, and safeguarding frameworks.
- To provide guidance to staff that no worker will be required, as part of their duties, to maintain an organisational presence on X, and that alternative channels will be provided for any essential communications.
B33 GMB@BMA/BMJ BRANCH, London Region
My speech notes are/were,
President, Congress, Dave Levy, London Region seconding motion 118
I have what I believe to be a rare pleasure of opening and closing congress.
The notion highlights the Social Media platform once known as Twitter’s malevolent role in creating and distributing misogynistic and child sexual abuse material.
This is much worse since Musk’s take over and its being done for money.
Musk has also tuned the algorithm to maximise advertising revenue through rage.
The motion calls on the GMB to negotiate with employers to avoid platforms that enable this abuse and to protect those who are asked to use it and wish to refuse.
It would help of course if Motion 16/25 which the CEC asked Congress to refer, calling for the GMB to abandon Twitter/X had actually been actioned, but the report states no action has been taken. I’d best check my branch social media assets.
It’s not just misogyny, let’s also be clear, X’s algorithms discriminate against, bully and brutalise progressive views.
Leading researchers and commentators argue twitter, and facebook are no longer suitable for conversations, or even adverts since they are so filled with bots, spewing rubbish in order to make money for Musk and the authors.
At its heart, the motion is about workplace rights, I second!
This was opposed by a speaker who thought we & our voice need to be there. Jamie in summing up said that the motion was about protecting workers who are instructed to use it; I would have added that it’s no longer fit for use even for advertising and that progressives need to get off it. We don’t need to be on twitter to contend with its ideas and why try when it writes the rules to ensure they win and that we are bullied.
The video of the debate on M118 is on the youtube feed.
I was wrong about opening and closing the congress, debates on the ECHR ruling and the EM followed