Twitter started enforcing its new policies designed to combat online abuse and hateful activity on its platform, the San Francisco, California-based firm said Monday. Originally announced last month, the policies are meant to address one of the most common complaints from Twitter users and make the social media service more inclusive by cracking down on radically intolerant behavior. While the firm was already sanctioning users issuing threats of physical violence or death using its platform, the new policies expand on that provision by defining such content in a much more detailed manner so as to avoid any confusion on the part of users and clearly communicate what kind of behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Apart from users making direct threats, Twitter will not also be more active in seeking and sanctioning accounts that are simply affiliated with organizations that promote the type of violent or hateful activity that goes against its terms of service, regardless of whether such groups made their stances clear on Twitter or anywhere else. Glorified violence or the glorification or violent offenders are similar types of transgressions Twitter will be sanctioning, with the platform stating that repeated violations of its anti-abuse policies will result in a permanent account ban. Hateful content is being subjected to a similar crackdown and any attempt at censoring another Twitter user with threats of violence or similar intimidation techniques will be sanctioned going forward. Hateful and abusive content found in usernames and profile bios will receive the same treatment, the social media firm revealed, adding that imagery associated with hateful groups also won’t be tolerated regardless of whether it’s used in a tweet, profile pic, header, or even linked to via one’s bio section.
The microblogging platform said that the launch of its more aggressive anti-abuse policies may result in some missteps in the beginning and asked users for patience while it optimizes both its automated and human-reliant systems in the coming weeks. As part of its previously promised effort to maintain maximum transparency in regards to the manner in which it sanctions hateful and abusive content posted through its service, Twitter reiterated it will keep the general public updated on the matter going forward.