INTERNATIONAL: Twitter Updates Its Policy on Tweets that Encourage Self-Harm and Suicide

March 09, 2018

News Type:  Weekly Spark, Weekly Spark News

TechCrunch

Twitter has updated its policy on content that promotes self-harm and suicide. The social networking platform now gives users the option to report profiles, tweets, and direct messages that encourage self-harming behavior. It has also added a section to its help center prohibiting such content and outlining the steps the company will take to address it, such as locking offending users out of their accounts. The policy states that Twitter’s two-pronged approach to preventing self-harm and suicide includes “supporting people who are undergoing experiences with self-harm or suicidal thoughts, but prohibiting the promotion or encouragement of self-harming behaviors.” The company will continue to provide users with a form for reporting threats of self-harming behavior and connect those at risk with resources.

Spark Extra! Read the Twitter policy.