Twitter introduces new rules against revenge porn
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo once admitted that the website sucked at dealing with trolls, but you've got to give the company credit for doing something about it. The micro-blogging platform has just launched more stringent rules against revenge porn after making it easier to report doxxers and impersonators in February. If you visit Twitter's community rules and abuse policy, you'll see language making it clear that any intimate content posted without the subjects' consent isn't welcome on the website. Under "Content Boundaries and Use of Twitter," you'll find:
Private information: You may not publish or post other people's private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, street address or Social Security/National Identity numbers, without their express authorization and permission. You may not post intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject's consent.
Meanwhile, you'll see this under the "Abusive behavior policy:"
Threats and abuse: Users may not make direct, specific threats of violence against others, including threats against a person or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, or disability. In addition, users may not post intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject's consent.
Twitter used the questions Buzzfeed asked Reddit when the latter started requiring consent to post someone's nude photos/videos to shed more light on this new policy. According to its replies, the ones reporting the photo or video will have to provide proof that they're really the ones in it. Once Twitter verifies that the content was posted without consent, the website will not only hide the offending post, but also lock the offender's account until the photo or video in question is deleted.
If the website determines that the user posted intimate images specifically with an intent to harass, he or she will be suspended for good. Posters can challenge those complaints, of course, but Twitter will first have to check whether the image/video they tweeted was truly misidentified before they're off the hook. In case you're reading this because you're dealing with revenge porn right now, don't forget to check whether the act is a criminal offense in your state or country, as well. While it's great that Twitter now has these rules in place, it doesn't hurt to know if you can do more to bring the perp to justice.
