Micro-blogging site Twitter has since February blocked more than 2.35 lakh accounts for promoting dangerous or extremist views, it said in a blog post on Thursday. This brings the total number of accounts suspended since mid-2015 to 3.6 lakh. The profiles were taken down for "violating policies related to promotion of terrorism".
It said, "We strongly condemn these acts and remain committed to eliminating the promotion of violence or terrorism on our platform...Our efforts continue to drive meaningful results, including a significant shift in this type of activity off of Twitter." It emphasised that there was no "magic algorithm" to identify terrorist content, but they cooperate with law enforcement agencies seeking help with investigations to thwart terror attacks.
The suspension of such accounts on an everyday basis has risen by more than 80% since 2015. The number of such suspensions jumps immediately after reports of a terrorist attack. "Our response time for suspending reported accounts, the amount of time these accounts are on Twitter and the number of followers they accumulate have all decreased dramatically," the blog post said, adding that they collaborate with other social media platforms to identify terrorist content.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!