Twitter Accused of Double Standards for Banning Tweets Wishing Trump’s Death | Technology



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Twitter is facing a growing backlash in the wake of Donald Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis, as users accuse him of having double standards in the way he controls those who wish others to die.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay and former children’s laureate Malorie Blackman were among thousands of Twitter users who accused the platform of failing to protect women and minority users from abuse.

Many people have tweeted messages to wish the president the best, including his electoral opponent, Joe Biden, while others have expressed the opposite sentiment.

On Friday, Twitter confirmed that users wanting the president’s death were violating its terms of use.

Their abusive behavior politics prohibits users from “wishing or expecting serious harm to a person or group of people.”

“Tweets that wish or expect death, serious bodily harm or fatal illness against * anyone * are not allowed and should be removed,” the company said in a tweet. He added that the violation would not “automatically mean suspension.”

The statement, which has been shared more than 18,000 times, has drawn criticism from many figures who said they had been the target of similar abuses themselves but did not receive support from the platform.

Blackman, author of the acclaimed Noughts & Crosses series, tweeted: “Weeks of death threats and serious threats against my family when I was a child laureate [from 2013 to 2015] resulted in Twitter going crazy. “

Earlier, a Twitter spokesperson told The Guardian that the policy had been in effect since April and applied to all users, not just Trump.

DuVernay He said: “Does this also apply to black and brown women who have long been and continue to be harassed and threatened with assault and death on this platform or not? I think not. Because I see those same accounts still active. Keep doing damage. Your * anyone * is false “.

Football host and former England player Gary Lineker questioned whether politics went far enough. “Forgive me for being a bit of a snowflake, but surely wishing for serious harm, fatal illness or death of someone or someone should automatically mean suspension,” he said.

A Twitter spokesperson said: “Our singular goal is to improve the health of the public conversation, including ensuring the safety of the people who use our service. Abuse and harassment have no place on Twitter and we have policies in place, which apply to everyone, everywhere, that address abuse, harassment, and hateful behavior. If we identify accounts that violate these rules, we will take enforcement action. “

A spokesperson told Motherboard that Twitter was suspending some users but would not act on every tweet.

Separately, an assistant to Biden told the New York Times his campaign would remove negative ads about Trump following news of his illness.



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