Elon Musk-owned Twitter, seeking to reassure users and advertisers that it’s taking a hardline stand against violent speech, released an update to its policies that more explicitly bans certain types of threats.
According to the updated policy, released Feb. 28, Twitter users “may not wish, hope, or express desire for harm. This includes (but is not limited to) hoping for others to die, suffer illnesses, tragic incidents, or experience other physically harmful consequences.” Previously, “wishes of harm” were not actionable under the company’s violent threats policy, which was last updated in March 2019.
In addition, Twitter’s updated Violent Speech policy bans “inciting others to commit atrocity crimes including crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide,” which also includes using coded language (aka “dog whistles”) to indirectly incite violence. Furthermore, the updated policy — in addition to prohibiting threats to physically harm others — also bans threatening to “damage civilian homes and shelters, or infrastructure that is essential to daily, civic, or business activities.”
Users who violate Twitter’s Violent Speech “in most cases” will be immediately and permanently suspended. For less severe violations, according to Twitter, the company may require a user to delete the violative content before they can regain access to their account.
“[H]ealthy conversations can’t thrive when violent speech is used to deliver a message,” Twitter’s Violent Speech policy says. “As a result, we have a zero tolerance policy towards violent speech in order to ensure the safety of our users and prevent the normalization of violent actions.”
Twitter has been criticized for reported upticks in hate speech appearing on the service since the multibillionaire tech tycoon bought the company last fall (allegations Musk has denied).
Read More About:
Source: Read Full Article
