Twitter faces backlash over abuse policy in wake of Trump illness

Twitter is facing a growing backlash in the wake of Donald Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis as users accuse it of double standards in the way it polices those who wish death on others.

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

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

On Friday, the social media platform confirmed users who wish death upon the president, who is being treated at the Walter Reed military medical centre, are violating its terms of use.

The abusive behaviour policy prohibits users from “wishing or hoping serious harm on a person or group of people”.

“Tweets that wish or hope for death, serious bodily harm or fatal disease against *anyone* are not allowed and will need to be removed,” the company said in a tweet. It added that the breach 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 have been targeted with similar abuse but received no support from the platform.

Malorie Blackman, the author of the acclaimed Noughts & Crosses series, tweeted: “Weeks of death threats and serious threats against my family when I was children’s laureate [from 2013 to 2015] resulted in Twitter doing bugger all about it.”

Earlier on Saturday, a Twitter spokesman told the Guardian this policy has been in place since April and applies to all users, not just Trump.

DuVernay said: “Does this also go for Black and Brown women who have long been and continue to be harassed and threatened with assault and death on this platform or nah? I think no.

“Because I see those same accounts still up. Still causing harm. Your *anyone* is disingenuous.”

Meanwhile, football pundit and former England player Gary Lineker questioned whether the policy went far enough. “Forgive me for being a bit of a snowflake, but surely wishing serious harm, fatal disease or death on someone/anyone should automatically mean suspension,” he said.

A Twitter spokesperson told Motherboard it is suspending some users but will not act on every tweet. The social media site has been approached for further comment.

The row comes as an aide for presidential candidate Joe Biden told the New York Times his campaign would take down adverts that were negative about Trump, following news of his illness.