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Do not fill this in! ==User accounts== ===Verified accounts=== {{main|Twitter verification}} In June 2009, after being criticized by [[Kanye West]] and sued by [[Tony La Russa]] over unauthorized accounts run by [[impersonator]]s, the company launched their "Verified Accounts" program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2009/not-playing-ball.html |title=Not Playing Ball |first=Biz|last=Stone|date=June 6, 2009 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref name="verifiedhistory">{{cite news|last=Kanalley|first=Craig|title=Why Twitter Verifies Users: The History Behind the Blue Checkmark|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282.html|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Huffington Post|date=March 12, 2013}}</ref> Twitter stated that an account with a "blue tick" verification badge indicates "we've been in contact with the person or entity the account is representing and verified that it is approved".<ref name="verifiedlaunch">{{cite web|last=Cashmore|first=Pete|title=Twitter Launches Verified Accounts|website=[[Mashable]]|url=http://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2/|date=June 11, 2009|access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> In July 2016, Twitter announced a public application process to grant verified status to an account "if it is determined to be of public interest" and that verification "does not imply an endorsement".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts |title=About verified accounts |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720094013/https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts |archive-date=July 20, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2016/announcing-an-application-process-for-verified-accounts-0.html |title=Announcing an Application Process for Verified Accounts|date=July 19, 2016 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/how-to-get-verified-twitter-uk-account-blue-tick|title=Twitter opens verification to all|first=Matt|last=Burgess|magazine=Wired|date=July 20, 2016|access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref> Verified status allows access to some features unavailable to other users, such as only seeing mentions from other verified accounts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wagner|first=Kurt|title=Twitter Unveils Exclusive Feature For Verified Users|website=[[Mashable]]|url=http://mashable.com/2013/09/12/twitter-exclusive-feature//|date=September 12, 2013|access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> In November 2020, Twitter announced a relaunch of its verification system in 2021. According to the new policy, Twitter verifies six different types of accounts; for three of them (companies, brands, and influential individuals like activists), the existence of a [[Wikipedia]] page will be one criterion for showing that the account has "Off Twitter Notability".<ref>{{cite web|last=Harrison|first=Stephen|date=December 4, 2020|title=Twitter Wants to Use Wikipedia to Help Determine Who Gets a Blue Checkmark|url=https://slate.com/technology/2020/12/twitter-checkmark-verification-wikipedia-notability.html|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Slate Magazine}}</ref> Twitter states that it will re-open public verification applications at some point in "early 2021".<ref>{{cite news|last=Statt|first=Nick|website=The Verge|url= https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/17/22187477/twitter-verification-badge-blue-checkmark-relaunch-process-new-rules|title=Twitter is launching its new verification policy on January 20th|date=December 17, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> In October 2022, after the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk, it was reported that verification would instead be included in the paid Twitter Blue service, and that existing verified accounts would lose their status if they do not subscribe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heath |first=Alex |date=October 31, 2022 |title=Twitter is planning to start charging $20 per month for verification |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/30/23431931/twitter-paid-verification-elon-musk-blue-monthly-subscription |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=The Verge}}</ref> On November 1, Musk confirmed that verification would be included in Blue in the future, dismissing the existing verification system as a "lords & peasants system".<ref name="Roth-2022" /><ref name="Peters-2022" /><ref name="Roth-2022a" /> Following concerns over the possibility of impersonation, Twitter subsequently reimplemented a second "Official" marker, consisting of a grey tick and "Official" text displayed under the username, for high-profile accounts of "government and commercial entities".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sato |first=Mia |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Twitter's new gray "official" checks are rolling out to some high-profile accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23449122/twitter-official-verified-gray-checkmark-verification |access-date=November 9, 2022 |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopatto |first=Elizabeth |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Twitter 'Official' gray check mark returns, now that 'Verified' is meaningless |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/10/23452625/twitter-verified-official-blue-gray-check |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=The Verge}}</ref> In December 2022, the "Official" text was replaced by a gold checkmark for organizations, as well as a grey checkmark for government and multilateral accounts.<ref name="Schroeder-2023">{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Twitter now lets businesses handle their employees' blue ticks, for a hefty price |url=https://mashable.com/article/twitter-verified-organizations |access-date=July 24, 2023 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Wiggers-2022">{{Cite web |last=Wiggers |first=Kyle |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Twitter launches Blue for Business, grants gold checkmarks to 'corporate entities' |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/12/twitter-launches-blue-for-business-grants-gold-checkmarks-to-corporate-entities/ |access-date=July 24, 2023 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> In March 2023, the gold checkmark was made available for organizations to purchase through the Verified Organizations program (formerly called Twitter Blue for Business).<ref name="Schroeder-2023" /><ref name="Wiggers-2022" /> ===Privacy=== Tweets are public, but users can also send private "direct messages".<ref name=Rushe /> Information about who has chosen to follow an account and who a user has chosen to follow is also public, though accounts can be changed to "protected" which limits this information (and all tweets) to approved followers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classroom.synonym.com/hide-followers-following-twitter-13288.html |title=How to Hide Your Followers & Who You Are Following on Twitter {{pipe}} The Classroom {{pipe}} Synonym |publisher=Classroom.synonym.com |date=November 9, 2015 |access-date=December 7, 2015}}</ref> Twitter collects [[personally identifiable information]] about its users and shares it with third parties as specified in its [[privacy policy]]. The service also reserves the right to sell this information as an asset if the company changes hands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twitter Privacy Policy |url=https://www.twitter.com/privacy/ |date=May 14, 2007 |publisher=Twitter |access-date=March 11, 2009 |archive-date=June 25, 2009 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090625120644/https%3A//twitter.com/privacy |url-status=dead }}</ref> Advertisers can [[behavioral targeting|target users]] based on their history of tweets and may quote tweets in ads<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hansell |first=Saul |title=Advertisers Are Watching Your Every Tweet |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/advertisers-are-watching-your-every-tweet/ |date=July 16, 2009 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 17, 2009}}</ref> directed specifically to the user. Twitter launched the [[Beta version#Beta|beta version]] of their "Verified Accounts" service on June 11, 2009, allowing people with public profiles to announce their account name. The profile pages of these accounts display a badge indicating their status.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10263759-36.html |title=Twitter Power Players Get Shiny 'Verified' Badges |first=Caroline |last=McCarthy |work=[[CNET]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503090313/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10263759-36.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> On December 14, 2010, the [[United States Department of Justice]] issued a [[Twitter subpoena|subpoena directing Twitter]] to provide information for accounts registered to or associated with [[WikiLeaks]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/01/07/twitter/subpoena.pdf |title=Twitter Subpoena |work=[[Salon.com]]|date=January 17, 2009 |access-date=January 10, 2011}}</ref> Twitter decided to notify its users and said in a statement, "... it's our policy to notify users about law enforcement and governmental requests for their information, unless we are prevented by law from doing so."<ref name="Rushe">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jan/08/us-twitter-hand-icelandic-wikileaks-messages |title=Icelandic MP Fights US Demand for Her Twitter Account Details |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Rushe, Dominic |date=January 8, 2011 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |location=London}}</ref> In May 2011, a [[claimant]] known as "CTB" in the case of ''[[CTB v News Group Newspapers|CTB v Twitter Inc.]]'' took action against Twitter at the [[High Court of Justice|High Court of Justice of England and Wales]],<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-20/twitter-inc-unknown-posters-sued-by-athlete-known-as-ctb-at-u-k-court.html "Twitter Inc., Unknown Posters Sued by Athlete Known as 'CTB' at U.K. Court"] bloomberg.com May 20, 2011</ref> requesting that the company release details of account holders. This followed gossip posted on Twitter about professional footballer [[Ryan Giggs]]'s private life. This led to the [[2011 British privacy injunctions controversy]] and the "super-injunction".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/twitter-users-served-with-privacy-injunction-$21388933.htm |title=Twitter users served with privacy injunction |publisher=Politics.co.uk |access-date=May 22, 2011 |archive-date=May 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523133024/http://www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/twitter-users-served-with-privacy-injunction-$21388933.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Tony Wang, the head of Twitter in Europe, said that people who do "bad things" on the site would need to defend themselves under the laws of their own jurisdiction in the event of controversy and that the site would hand over information about users to the authorities when it was legally required to do so.<ref name="wang">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13546847|work=[[BBC News]] |location=UK |title=Twitter's European boss Tony Wang gives legal warning|date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=May 25, 2011}}</ref> He also suggested that Twitter would accede to a UK court order to divulge names of users responsible for "illegal activity" on the site.<ref name="independent">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/twitter-chief-hints-he-may-have-to-divulge-users-names-2289187.html|work=[[The Independent]] |location=UK |title=Twitter chief hints he may have to divulge users' names|date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=December 13, 2011 |first=Lewis |last=Smith}}</ref> Twitter acquired [[Dasient]], a startup that offers malware protection for businesses, in January 2012. Twitter announced plans to use Dasient to help remove hateful advertisers on the website.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/24/twitter-dasient-security-startup_n_1227842.html|title=Twitter Buys Dasient Security Startup To Combat Spam|work=The Huffington Post | date=January 24, 2012}}</ref> Twitter also offered a feature which would allow tweets to be removed selectively by country, before deleted tweets used to be removed in all countries.<ref name="BBC_censor">{{cite news |date=January 27, 2012|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16753729|title=Twitter to selectively 'censor' tweets by country|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>[http://blog.twitter.com/2012/01/tweets-still-must-flow.html "Twitter Blog – Tweets still must flow"] January 26, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.</ref> The first use of the policy was to block the account of German [[neo-Nazi]] group [[Besseres Hannover]] on October 18, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nicholas |last=Kulish |title=Twitter Blocks Germans' Access to Neo-Nazi Group |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/world/europe/twitter-blocks-access-to-neo-nazi-group-in-germany.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018151821/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/world/europe/twitter-blocks-access-to-neo-nazi-group-in-germany.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 18, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> The policy was used again the following day to remove [[anti-Semitic]] French tweets with the hashtag #unbonjuif ("a good Jew").<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter removes French anti-Semitic tweets |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-20004671 |website=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC |date=October 19, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref> Followed the sharing of images showing the killing of American journalist [[James Foley (journalist)|James Foley]] in 2014, Twitter said that in certain cases it would delete pictures of people who had died after requests from family members and "authorized individuals".<ref>{{cite web |date=August 20, 2014 |title=Twitter Is Trying to Block Images of James Foley's Death |url=https://www.yahoo.com/tech/twitter-trying-to-block-images-of-james-foleys-death-95278352899.html |access-date=September 6, 2014 |publisher=Yahoo! Tech}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=501860042338213889|user=wexler|first=Nu|last=Wexler|title=Twitter policy on media concerning a deceased user|date=August 19, 2014}}</ref> In 2015, following updated terms of service and privacy policy, Twitter users outside the United States were legally served by the Ireland-based Twitter International Company instead of Twitter, Inc. The change made these users subject to Irish and [[Data Protection Directive|European Union data protection laws]].<ref name="irishtimes-twitterint">{{cite news |title=Ireland to become privacy regulator for 300m Twitter users |work=Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/ireland-to-become-privacy-regulator-for-300m-twitter-users-1.2180137 |access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref> On April 8, 2020, Twitter announced that users outside of the European Economic Area or United Kingdom (thus subject to GDPR) will no longer be allowed to opt out of sharing "mobile app advertising measurements" to Twitter third-party partners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=April 8, 2020 |title=Twitter notifies users that it's now sharing more data with advertisers |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/8/21213593/twitter-data-sharing-pop-up-mobile-app-advertising-settings |access-date=April 9, 2020 |website=The Verge}}</ref> On October 9, 2020, Twitter took additional steps to counter misleading campaigns ahead of the 2020 US Election. Twitter's new temporary update encouraged users to "add their own commentary" before retweeting a tweet, by making 'quoting tweet' a mandatory feature instead of optional. The social network giant aimed at generating context and encouraging the circulation of more thoughtful content.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 9, 2020 |title=Twitter is fighting election chaos by urging users to quote tweet instead of retweet |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/9/21509439/twitter-election-trump-quote-tweet-labels-rules-election |access-date=October 9, 2020 |website=The Verge}}</ref> After limited results, the company ended this experiment in December 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=K. |date=December 17, 2020 |title=Retweets are back to normal as Twitter ends its quote tweet experiment |work=Engadget |url=https://www.engadget.com/twitter-ends-quote-tweet-experiment-retweets-003202686.html |access-date=March 20, 2022}}</ref> On May 25, 2022, Twitter was fined $150 million for collecting users' phone numbers and email addresses used for [[two-factor authentication|security]] and using them for [[targeted advertising]], required to notify its users, and banned from profiting from 'deceptively collected data'.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Twitter fined $150m for handing users' contact details to advertisers |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/may/25/twitter-user-data-advertising-settlement |access-date=May 27, 2022}}</ref> The [[Federal Trade Commission]] and the [[Ministry of justice|Department of Justice]] stated that Twitter violated a 2011 agreement not to use personal security data for targeted advertising. === Harassment === In August 2013, Twitter announced plans to introduce a "report abuse" button for all versions of the site following uproar, including a petition with 100,000 signatures, over Tweets that included rape and death threats to historian [[Mary Beard (classicist)|Mary Beard]], feminist campaigner [[Caroline Criado-Perez]] and the member of parliament [[Stella Creasy]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23559605 "Twitter's Tony Wang issues apology to abuse victims"], BBC News, August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/world/europe/of-pride-prejudice-and-harassment-on-twitter.html?_r=0 "Of Pride, Prejudice and Harassment on Twitter"] ''The New York Times'', August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://cnet.com/news/twitter-updates-its-rules-for-users-after-uproar-over-rape-bomb-threats/ "Twitter updates its rules for users, after uproar over rape, bomb threats"], CNET, August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.</ref> Twitter announced new reporting and blocking policies in December 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2014/12/twitter-announces-sweeping-update-to-reporting-blocking-tools/|title=Twitter announces sweeping update to reporting, blocking tools|work=Ars Technica|date=December 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/a/2014/building-a-safer-twitter.html|title=Building a safer Twitter|website=blog.twitter.com|access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/twitter-unveils-new-tools-to-fight-harassment/|title=Twitter unveils new tools to fight harassment| work=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.technewsworld.com/story/81442.html?rss=1|title=Twitter Gives Harassed Users a Little Ammo|website=www.technewsworld.com|date=December 4, 2014 |access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> including a blocking mechanism devised by [[Randi Harper]], a target of [[GamerGate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techinsider.net/twitter-inc-twtr-could-use-gamergate-autoblocker-model-to-block-millions-of-fake-accounts/1120221.html|title=Twitter Inc (TWTR) Could Use Gamergate Autoblocker Model To Block Millions of Fake Accounts?|first=Fahad|last=Saleem|work=TechInsider|date=December 4, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/digital-culture/blocked-on-twitter-softwares-limits-in-the-fight-against-online-hate/article21920082/ |title=Blocked on Twitter: Software's limits in the fight against online hate |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto |date=December 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Taylor |last=Wofford |title=One Woman's New Tool to Stop Gamergate Harassment on Twitter |date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=December 6, 2014 |website=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/one-womans-new-tool-stop-gamergate-harassment-twitter-288008}}</ref> In February 2015, CEO [[Dick Costolo]] said he was 'frankly ashamed' at how poorly Twitter handled [[Internet troll|trolling]] and abuse, and admitted Twitter had lost users as a result.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tiku|first1=Nitasha|title=Twitter CEO: 'We suck at dealing with abuse'|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/4/7982099/twitter-ceo-sent-memo-taking-personal-responsibility-for-the|website=The Verge|access-date=February 5, 2015|date=February 5, 2015}}</ref> As per a research study conducted by IT for Change on abuse and misogynistic trolling on Twitter directed at Indian women in public-political life, women perceived to be ideologically left-leaning, dissenters, Muslim women, political dissenters, and political commentators and women from opposition parties received a disproportionate amount of abusive and hateful messages on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web | website=IT for Change | date=July 2022 | title=Profitable Provocations | url=https://itforchange.net/sites/default/files/2132/ITfC-Twitter-Report-Profitable-Provocations.pdf | access-date=July 4, 2023}}</ref> In 2016, Twitter announced the creation of the Twitter Trust & Safety Council to help "ensure that people feel safe expressing themselves on Twitter". The council's inaugural members included 50 organizations and individuals.<ref>Twitter's corporate blog, [https://blog.twitter.com/2016/announcing-the-twitter-trust-safety-council "Announcing the Twitter Trust & Safety Council"]</ref> The announcement of Twitter's "Trust & Safety Council" was met with objection from parts of its userbase.<ref>{{cite book |last=Siegfried |first=Evan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4yXIDAAAQBAJ |title=GOP GPS |date=August 23, 2016 |publisher=Skyhorse |isbn=9781510717336 |access-date=November 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Albright |first=Dann |date=February 29, 2016 |title=Is Twitter's Trust & Safety Council a Front for Censorship? |url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/twitters-trust-safety-council-front-censorship/ |access-date=November 12, 2017 |publisher=Makeuseof}}</ref> Critics accused the member organizations of being heavily skewed towards "the restriction of hate speech" and a ''[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]'' article expressed concern that "there's not a single uncompromising anti-censorship figure or group on the list".<ref>{{cite web |last=Puddephatt |first=Andrew |date=February 11, 2016 |title=Just Another 'Black Box'? First Thoughts on Twitter's Trust And Safety Council |url=http://www.circleid.com/posts/20160211_another_black_box_first_thoughts_on_twitters_trust_safety_council/ |access-date=November 12, 2017 |publisher=CircleID}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Soave |first=Robby |date=February 20, 2016 |title=Did Twitter's Orwellian 'Trust and Safety' Council Get Robert Stacy McCain Banned? |url=https://reason.com/blog/2016/02/20/did-twitters-orwellian-trust-and-safety |access-date=November 12, 2017 |publisher=Reason.com}}</ref> Twitter banned 7,000 accounts and limited 150,000 more that had ties to [[QAnon]] on July 21, 2020. The bans and limits came after QAnon-related accounts began harassing other users through practices of swarming or brigading, coordinated attacks on these individuals through multiple accounts in the weeks prior. Those accounts limited by Twitter will not appear in searches nor be promoted in other Twitter functions. Twitter said they will continue to ban or limit accounts as necessary, with their support account stating "We will permanently suspend accounts Tweeting about these topics that we know are engaged in violations of our multi-account policy, coordinating abuse around individual victims, or are attempting to evade a previous suspension".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |last2=Zadrozny |first2=Brandy |author-link2=Brandy Zadrozny |date=July 21, 2020 |title=Twitter bans 7,000 QAnon accounts, limits 150,000 others as part of broad crackdown |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/twitter-bans-7-000-qanon-accounts-limits-150-000-others-n1234541 |access-date=July 21, 2020 |work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> In September 2021, Twitter began beta testing a feature called Safety Mode.<ref name="Peters-2021">{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=September 1, 2021 |title=Twitter's new Safety Mode autoblocks abusive accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22652572/twitter-safety-mode-autoblocks-abusive-accounts-beta |access-date=September 23, 2021 |website=The Verge}}</ref> The functionality aims to limit unwelcome interactions through automated detection of negative engagements. If a user has Safety Mode enabled, authors of tweets that are identified by Twitter's technology as being harmful or exercising uninvited behavior will be temporarily unable to follow the account, send direct messages, or see tweets from the user with the enabled functionality during the temporary block period.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vasile |first=Cosmin |title=Twitter launches Super Follows and Safety Mode |url=https://www.phonearena.com/news/twitter-super-follows-safety-mode-android-iOS_id134759 |access-date=May 18, 2022 |website=Phone Arena|date=September 2, 2021 }}</ref> Jarrod Doherty, senior product manager at Twitter, stated that the technology in place within Safety Mode assesses existing relationships to prevent blocking accounts that the user frequently interacts with.<ref name="Peters-2021" /> === Suspect and contested accounts === {{See also|Deplatforming|Twitter suspensions}} In January 2016, Twitter was sued by the widow of a U.S. man killed in the [[2015 Amman shooting attack]], claiming that allowing the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) to continually use the platform, including direct messages in particular,<ref name="verge-revisedisillawsuit">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/30/12717178/twitter-isis-lawsuit-direct-message-revised-complaint|title=Revived lawsuit says Twitter DMs are like handing ISIS a satellite phone|website=The Verge|access-date=August 31, 2016|date=August 30, 2016}}</ref> constituted the [[Providing material support for terrorism|provision of material support to a terrorist organization]], which is illegal under U.S. federal law. Twitter disputed the claim, stating that "violent threats and the promotion of terrorism deserve no place on Twitter and, like other social networks, our rules make that clear".<ref name="wsj-isistwitter">{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2016/01/14/lawsuit-blames-twitter-for-isis-terrorist-attack/|title=Lawsuit Blames Twitter for ISIS Terrorist Attack|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=January 16, 2016}}</ref><ref name="wsj-twitterliable">{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2016/01/15/can-twitter-be-liable-for-isis-tweets/|title=Can Twitter Be Liable for ISIS Tweets?|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=January 20, 2016}}</ref> The lawsuit was dismissed by the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]], upholding the [[Section 230]] safe harbor, which dictates that the operators of an interactive computer service are not liable for the content published by its users.<ref name="wsj-twitterliable" /><ref name="verge-section230isis">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/10/11950098/twitter-isis-lawsuit-safe-harbor-terrorism|title=Twitter is not legally responsible for the rise of ISIS, rules California district court|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=August 11, 2016|date=August 10, 2016}}</ref> The lawsuit was revised in August 2016, providing comparisons to other telecommunications devices.<ref name="verge-revisedisillawsuit" /> Twitter suspended multiple parody accounts that satirized Russian politics in May 2016, sparking protests and raising questions about where the company stands on [[freedom of speech]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/twitter-suspends-russian-satirical-accounts-raising-free-speech-questions/571146.html|title=Twitter Suspends Russian Satirical Accounts, Raising Free Speech Questions {{!}} News|website=The Moscow Times|date=June 2016 |access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref> Following public outcry, Twitter restored the accounts the next day without explaining why the accounts had been suspended.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/02/twitter-unblocks-darthputinkgba-spoof-russia|title=Twitter unblocks spoof Putin account after widespread criticism|last1=Times|first1=The Moscow|last2=network|first2=part of the New East|date=June 2, 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref> The same day, Twitter, along with [[Facebook]], [[Google]], and [[Microsoft]], jointly agreed to a [[European Union]] code of conduct obligating them to review "[the] majority of valid notifications for removal of illegal [[hate speech]]" posted on their services within 24 hours.<ref name="guardian-euhatespeech">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/31/facebook-youtube-twitter-microsoft-eu-hate-speech-code|title=Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft sign EU hate speech code|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=June 7, 2016|date=May 31, 2016|last1=Hern|first1=Alex}}</ref> In August 2016, Twitter stated that it had banned 235,000 accounts over the past six months, bringing the overall number of suspended accounts to 360,000 accounts in the past year, for violating policies banning use of the platform to promote extremism.<ref>{{cite news|first=Elizabeth|last=Weise|title=Twitter suspends 235,000 accounts for extremism|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/08/18/twitter-suspends-235000-terrorism-extremism/88955432|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref> On May 10, 2019, Twitter announced that they suspended 166,513 accounts for promoting terrorism in the July–December 2018 period, stating there was a steady decrease in terrorist groups trying to use the platform owing to its "zero-tolerance policy enforcement". According to [[Vijaya Gadde]], Legal, Policy and Trust and Safety Lead at Twitter, there was a reduction of 19% terror related tweets from the previous reporting period (January–June 2018).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.com/magazines/panache/twitter-suspended-over-1-6-lakh-accounts-for-promoting-terrorism/articleshow/69268206.cms|title=Twitter suspended over 1.6 lakh terror-promoting accounts in six months|date=May 10, 2019|work=Economic Times|access-date=February 22, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531194121/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/twitter-suspended-over-1-6-lakh-accounts-for-promoting-terrorism/articleshow/69268206.cms|archive-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/09/twitter-transparency-report-terrorism-child-exploitation/|title=Twitter suspensions for promoting terrorism drop yet again|last=Holt|first=Kris|date=May 10, 2019|work=Engadget|access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2019/05/10/twitter-transparency-report-abuse/|title=Twitter's User-Reported Violations Jumped 19%—but the Number of Accounts Punished Dropped|last=Abril|first=Danielle|date=May 10, 2019|work=Fortune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/twitter-reports-fall-in-extreme-content|title=Twitter reports fall in extreme content|date=May 10, 2019|work=SBS News|access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/twitter-has-suspended-more-than-166000-accounts-related-to-promotion-of-terrorism-6611591.html|title=Twitter has suspended more than 166,000 accounts related to promotion of terrorism|date=May 10, 2019|work=Tech2|access-date=May 10, 2019|publisher=Firstpost}}</ref> As of July 30, 2020, Twitter will block URLs in tweets that point to external websites that contain malicious content (such as malware and phishing content) as well or hate speech, speech encouraging violence, terrorism, child sexual exploitation, breaches of privacy, and other similar content that is already banned as part of the content of tweets on the site. Users that frequently point to such sites may have their accounts suspended. Twitter said this was to bring their policy in line to prevent users from bypassing their tweet content restrictions by simply linking to the banned content.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/twitter-bans-links-hateful-conduct-violence-010623900.html | title = Twitter will block links promoting hate speech and violence | first= Karissa | last = Bell | date = July 28, 2020 | access-date = July 28, 2020 |work = [[Engadget]] }}</ref> Following the onset of protests by [[Donald Trump]]'s supporters across the [[US]] in January 2021, Twitter suspended more than 70,000 accounts, stating that they shared "harmful [[QAnon]]-associated content" at a large scale, and were "dedicated to the propagation of this conspiracy theory across the service". The rioters that [[January 6 United States Capitol attack|broke into the U.S. Capitol]] included a large number of QAnon followers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/12/22226503/twitter-qanon-account-suspension-70000-capitol-riots|title=Twitter bans 70,000 QAnon accounts as conservatives report lost followers|access-date=January 12, 2020|website=The Verge}}</ref> ===Malicious and fake accounts=== Between January and late July 2017, Twitter had identified and shut down over 7,000 fake accounts created by [[Iran]]ian influence operations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/07/25/its-not-just-russians-anymore-iranians-others-turn-up-disinformation-efforts-ahead-vote/ |title=It's not just the Russians anymore as Iranians and others turn up disinformation efforts ahead of 2020 vote |date=July 25, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |last1=Timberg |first1=Craig |last2=Romm |first2=Tony}}</ref> In May 2018, in response to scrutiny over the misuse of Twitter by those seeking to maliciously influence elections, Twitter announced that it would partner with the nonprofit organization [[Ballotpedia]] to add special labels verifying the authenticity of political candidates running for election in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|title=Twitter to add labels to U.S. political candidates|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-to-add-labels-to-u-s-political-candidates/ |access-date=May 23, 2018|publisher=CBS|date=May 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Scola|first1=Nancy |title=Twitter to verify election candidates in the midterms|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/23/twitter-verify-candidates-midterms-2018-1282802 |access-date=May 23, 2018|work=Politico|date=May 23, 2018}}</ref> In December 2019, Twitter removed 5,929 accounts for violating their [[Internet manipulation|manipulation]] policies. The company investigated and attributed these accounts to a single state-run information operation, which originated in [[Saudi Arabia]]. The accounts were reported to be a part of a larger group of 88,000 accounts engaged in [[Spamming|spammy behavior]]. However, Twitter did not disclose all of them as some could possibly be legitimate accounts taken over through [[Security hacker|hacking]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/national/18116303.twitter-facebook-remove-accounts-interference-crackdown/ |title=Twitter and Facebook remove accounts in interference crackdown|access-date=December 20, 2019|website=York Press|date=December 20, 2019 }}</ref> In March 2021, Twitter suspended around 3,500 fake accounts that were running a campaign to influence the American audience, after the US intelligence officials concluded that the assassination of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' journalist [[Jamal Khashoggi]] was "approved" by the Saudi Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Salman]]. These Saudi accounts were working in two languages, English and Arabic, to influence public opinion around the issue. Many accounts commented directly on the tweets of US-based media houses, including ''The Post'', ''[[CNN]]'', ''[[CBS News]]'' and ''[[The Los Angeles Times]]''. Twitter was unable to identify the source of the influence campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/02/saudi-khashoggi-twitter-mbs/ |title=When U.S. blamed Saudi crown prince for role in Khashoggi killing, fake Twitter accounts went to war|access-date=March 7, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> {{as of|2022}}, the top four countries spreading state-linked Twitter misinformation are Russia, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia.<ref name="aspi2022">{{cite web |title=Understanding Global Disinformation and Information Operations: Insights from ASPI's new analytic website |url=https://www.aspi.org.au/report/understanding_global_disinformation_information_operations |publisher=[[Australian Strategic Policy Institute]] |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220429013917/https://www.aspi.org.au/report/understanding_global_disinformation_information_operations |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |date=March 30, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2024, ''[[Intelligencer (website)|The Intelligencer]]'' reported on the proliferation of spam posts containing the phrase "░P░U░S░S░Y░I░N░B░I░O░", or similar references to pornographic content appearing in the poster's bio, apparently formatted so as to evade counter-spam measures.<ref name="Intelligencer PIB">{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/who-is-behind-all-the-pussy-in-bio-porn-spam-on-x.html|title=Who's Behind All the 'Pussy in Bio' on X?|first=John|last=Herrman|date=March 26, 2024|website=Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/twitter-porn-bot-sex-meme-1234973030/|title=Why Porn Bots Have Taken Over Your Twitter Feed|first=Miles|last=Klee|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=February 22, 2024}}</ref> The commonality of "pussy in bio" or "PIB" spam made it fodder for jokes, including one posted by Elon Musk himself.<ref name="Intelligencer PIB"/> ''The Intelligencer'' further noted that most of the accounts that posted this spam were short-lived throwaway accounts, and that links provided by the accounts typically routed users through several layers of redirecting websites, ultimately landing on a provider of simulated sex chats.<ref name="Intelligencer PIB"/> ===X bots=== {{main|Twitter bot}} An X bot is a computer program that can automatically post, repost, and follow other accounts. X's open [[application programming interface]] and the availability of cloud servers make it possible for X bots to exist within the social networking site.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Dubbin |first=Rob |title=The Rise Of Twitter Bots |url= https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/11/the-rise-of-twitter-bots.html |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=May 15, 2014}}</ref> Benign X bots may generate creative content and relevant product updates, whereas malicious bots can make unpopular people seem popular, push irrelevant products on users, and spread misinformation, spam or slander.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Miners|first=Zach|title=Bot or Not? Researchers make an app to sniff out bots on Twitter|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2151900/is-that-twitter-account-a-bot-researchers-make-app-to-find-out.html |magazine=PC World|access-date=May 15, 2014|date=May 6, 2014}}</ref> Bots amass significant influence and have been noted to sway elections, influence the stock market, appeal to the public, and attack governments.<ref>{{cite news|last=Urbina|first=Ian|title=I Flirt and Tweet. Follow Me at No. Socialbot |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/sunday-review/i-flirt-and-tweet-follow-me-at-socialbot.html |work=The New York Times|access-date=May 15, 2014|date=August 10, 2013}}</ref> {{As of|2013}}, Twitter said there were 20 million fake accounts on Twitter, representing less than 5% of active users.<ref>{{cite web |last=D'onfro |first=Jillian |date=October 4, 2013 |title=Twitter Admits 5% Of Its 'Users' Are Fake |url=http://www.businessinsider.in/Twitter-Admits-5-Of-Its-Users-Are-Fake/articleshow/23479699.cms |access-date=May 15, 2014 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> A 2020 estimate put the figure at 15% of all accounts or around 48 million accounts.<ref name=Rodriguez>{{cite journal |last1=Rodrıguez-Ruiz |first1=Jorge |last2=Mata-Sanchez |first2=Javier Israel |last3=Monroy |first3=Raul |last4=Loyola-Gonzalez |first4=Octavio |last5=Ĺopez-Cuevas |first5=Armando |date=April 2020 |title=A one-class classification approach for bot detection on Twitter |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167404820300031 |journal=Computers & Security |volume=91 |page=101715 |doi=10.1016/j.cose.2020.101715 |s2cid=212689495 |access-date=June 17, 2022}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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