According to Twitter Safety, there is a growing concern about people using private information to harass and intimidate others. Prior to this policy update, the platform would ban people for exposing phone numbers, addresses, and IDs, as well as those who threaten to expose that information. Twitter will also ban people demanding money in exchange for not leaking private information and those offering bounties to post certain media. The platform will even ban people who share sign-in credentials that would allow someone to gain access to private media. Context will be considered if a post is reported. Twitter may allow images or videos to stay up if it’s important to public discourse. For example, if the content is publicly available or covered by mainstream news, the post will remain. It will also not remove media featuring public figures if the information is in the public’s best interest. However, if that information is used to harass or intimidate a public figure, it goes against the new policy and is now a bannable offense. One reason for this update is to help Twitter better align its policies with human rights standards. While leaking private information affects everyone, the company states it hits women, activists, political dissidents, and minorities the hardest. The new change will be enforced globally and is effective immediately.
