Twitter Cracks Down on ‘Arousing’ Images, Revenge Porn

Special media platform Twitter has updated its policies on abusive behavior, spam, graphic violence, and adult content. Of particular interest to our readers may be these sections.

First, Twitter’s definition of “adult content” is pretty broad:

We consider adult content to be any media that is pornographic and/or may be intended to cause sexual arousal. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

• full or partial nudity (including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts)
• Please note that exceptions may be made for artistic, medical, health, or educational content. Breastfeeding content does not need to be marked as sensitive. 
• simulating a sexual act
• intercourse or any sexual act (may involve humans, humanoid animals, cartoons, or anime)

If your profile or header image contains content in violation of the Twitter Rules, we may temporarily suspend your account and remove the offending content. Repeat violations will result in a permanent suspension.

Additionally, your account may be locked if media in your profile is in violation of Twitter’s media policy. In order to unlock your account, you will need to follow our instructions and delete the media in violation.

Note, you’re in Twitters sights if you prominently post a photo or cartoon drawing of a “simulated” act which may have been “intended” to “arous[e]” a viewer.

As for so-called “revenge porn”, Twitter’s previous rules governing explicit content stated that users “may not post intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject’s consent.”

Examples Twitter now provides include imagery taken by hidden cameras and “images or videos captured in a private setting and not intended for public distribution.”

The feminist influence is clear in the following section, entitled “Unwanted Sexual Advances”:

You may not direct abuse at someone by sending unwanted sexual content, objectifying them in a sexually explicit manner, or otherwise engaging in sexual misconduct.

Sounds like a snowflake’s complaint of “I feel objectified” will be given weight.

There’s more:

If one of your Tweets containing media is reported as sensitive, it will be sent to Twitter for review. If we find that the media wasn’t marked as being potentially sensitive at the time of the upload:

• We may label the media as being potentially sensitive, or in the case of live video, remove the content entirely.
• We may also change your account setting to Mark media you Tweet as containing material that may be sensitive so that future posts are marked accordingly.

You will receive an email letting you know that we’ve labeled your media and if we changed your media setting. You will be able to change your media settings on your account settings page, though this image and any other images that have been labeled will remain marked as potentially sensitive.

If you repeatedly upload media that is mislabeled, we may:

• Label your media as having potentially sensitive content.
• Permanently adjust your account setting to Mark media you Tweet as containing material that may be sensitive so that your future posts have a warning message users must click through before viewing your media.

Twitter may also use automated techniques to detect and label potentially sensitive media, and to detect and label accounts that frequently Tweet potentially sensitive media.

Big brother is watching you. Mind your social media accounts, starting with Twitter.