Twitter will not resort to permanent suspension of accounts breaking its rules, and rely on “less severe actions” instead, according to a tweet put out by the company. The company also said that any user will be able to appeal an account suspension from February 1, 2023. https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1619125112716005376 Why it matters: Twitter had announced in December 2022 that it had identified policies where permanent suspension was a disproportionate reaction for breaking rules. The company added that it had started reinstating accounts that were suspended for violating policies. However, the move came under fire as many of these accounts were highly controversial. The latest announcement is notable as it highlights the age-old dilemma of how to moderate content without trampling upon the fundamental rights of users. What else do we know: The company said that it will take actions like limiting the reach of policy-violating tweets or asking a user to remove tweets before they can continue using their account instead of suspending accounts. The platform also clarified that it did not reinstate accounts that engaged in illegal activity, threats of harm or violence, large-scale spam and platform manipulation. The company will now suspend accounts for severe or ongoing, repeat violations of the company’s policies. What constitutes severe violations: It includes the following as per Twitter— Engaging in illegal content or activity, Inciting or threatening violence or harm, Targeted harassment of users, Privacy violations, Platform manipulation or spam. Content moderation in spotlight: Twitter’s content moderation policies have been under the scanner…
