Home Technology Twitter updates policies to stamp out religious discrimination

Twitter updates policies to stamp out religious discrimination

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Whether you’re religious or not, everyone should have a right to practice what they believe. Similarly, people should have the right to practice said belief without fear of discrimination. Discrimination which sadly still happens on a regular basis, especially when the internet is involved.

To address this issue, Twitter has announced (via The Verge) updates to its policies to address hateful language directed at religious groups, which marks a change in how the platform moderates against hate speech. The policy will go into effect starting immediately, with moderation practices immediately updated to enforce the new rules. If the new policy is successful, Twitter said it could apply a similar standard to other protected groups of people in the future.

The new policy lays out specific examples of content targeting members of religious groups that should be removed if reported. Tweets that dehumanize people on behalf of their religious alignment, using a variety of offensive terms, are now explicitly forbidden by the platform’s rules.

We create our rules to keep people safe on Twitter, and they continuously evolve to reflect the realities of the world we operate within. Our primary focus is on addressing the risks of offline harm, and research shows that dehumanizing language increases that risk.

It’s a minor change to their policy wording but one that at least explicitly calls out religious discrimination and one allows the company to act on it whereas, in the past, it didn’t fall under their hate speech rules. Now, if only we could all just get along and not need to resort to these measures.

Last Updated: July 11, 2019

90 Comments

  1. Caveshen Rajman

    July 11, 2019 at 09:51

    What if someone says something that criticises their own religion? Or if someone quotes from one religion, a criticism of another? Or for that matter, if someone says that according to their religion they hold belief X/Y and it’s part of their religion but IS discriminatory?

    Social media was a mistake. xD

    Reply

    • Vorastra

      July 11, 2019 at 10:08

      Social media was a mistake.

      No, just mishandled by governments.
      There should be one rule, and only one rule that social media companies should have to follow.

      “If it’s not illegal, then it must stay up.”

      Reply

    • Vorastra

      July 11, 2019 at 10:08

      Social media was a mistake.

      No, just mishandled by governments.
      There should be one rule, and only one rule that social media companies should have to follow.

      “If it’s not illegal, then it must stay up.”

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        July 11, 2019 at 10:24

        illegal where though? It’s illegal in China to call their president Winnie the Pooh… so does that mean this comment must be removed now?

        Reply

        • Magoo

          July 11, 2019 at 11:15

          BANNED

          Reply

        • Vorastra

          July 11, 2019 at 10:24

          The country that the social media company is based out of. If it’s Chinese, then yes.

          Reply

          • Gavin Mannion

            July 11, 2019 at 10:24

            Okay so if Trump decides that we can’t insult him all my anti-trump tweets sent from outside the US need to come down?

          • Vorastra

            July 11, 2019 at 10:24

            Good thing the US has a strong democracy and Trump would have to go through a bunch of loops to get that done and it would never pass.

          • Gavin Mannion

            July 11, 2019 at 10:25

            Bit naïve there, Trump has already turned the Supreme Court into his favour, the GOP has enacted the most stringent anti-abortion laws ever known (lady was charged with manslaughter for losing her baby after being shot). Trump has stated multiple times that he wants to bring in stronger laws to ensure the office of the president is respected.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

            I read last week that the courts stopped Trump from blocking people on Twitter…

          • Dresden

            July 12, 2019 at 00:35

            Rightly so. I see AOC is getting sued as well for the same reason.
            Politicians can’t just block someone because they are saying something they don’t agree with and I’m glad they’re being held accountable now.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 12, 2019 at 12:05

            At first I was like “it is his personal account” and thought WTF. Then I read further and it was revealed to me that him and his team had on more than one occasion stated it was “used in an official capacity” and I thought “this is fair, can’t have your cake and eat it too” 🙂

          • For the Emperor!

            July 12, 2019 at 12:05

            At first I was like “it is his personal account” and thought WTF. Then I read further and it was revealed to me that him and his team had on more than one occasion stated it was “used in an official capacity” and I thought “this is fair, can’t have your cake and eat it too” 🙂

          • Vorastra

            July 11, 2019 at 10:25

            And yet, the thin-skinned Trump hasn’t done it yet, and I’m going to safely predict, never will.

            lady was charged with manslaughter for losing her baby after being shot

            That’s got nothing to do with abortion though, does it. They charged her since they had thought she instigated the fight thus putting her unborn baby in harms way. But either way, that charge was dropped since it was, obviously, ridiculous. But yes, I get your point about tyranny of law.

            I don’t want to get in an abortion discussion, even though you’d probably find I’d agree with you on most things regarding that.

          • Gavin Mannion

            July 11, 2019 at 10:41

            The point really is that a global system shouldn’t be beholden to a single countries laws as that can be misused.

            For example, when Trump finally bombs Iran he can use his powers to get support for Iran ruled as illegal. It has happened before in America just look at what they did to the Japanese after Pearl Harbour and communism during the cold war.

            So he does that and then suddenly any tweet I have saying that Iran are being attacked for oil is illegal and will be taken down by Twitter and we then get a second round of massive war crimes in the middle east…

            It’s not an easy problem to solve and to leave the solution in America’s hands is disconcerting to say the least

          • Caveshen Rajman

            July 11, 2019 at 11:15

            To be fair, countries already do enforce localised rulesets in coordination with various social media, so as much as we can talk about what could be, the simple fact is that it already is.

            And it’s bullshit, I mean yes, I wish it didn’t happen. But yeah, enforcing things globally like this is weird.

          • Vorastra

            July 11, 2019 at 11:31

            I mean we can’t really do anything else. Who’s going to set laws that social media must follow? The UN? Countries still follow those rules?

            I still have no clue why you keep going on about Trump passing laws to stop people saying stuff. The US has the first amendment. The president literally cannot do that…So please could you stop using the same rubbish example…

          • Dresden

            July 12, 2019 at 00:35

            Aren’t those stringent anti-abortion laws set for the state Alabama though? You make it sound as if it’s country wide. Also pretty sure the charges were dropped.

          • HvR

            July 11, 2019 at 10:24

            So China ?

          • Vorastra

            July 11, 2019 at 10:24

            I don’t get your point.

          • HvR

            July 11, 2019 at 10:25

            Bit subtle … Chinese companies are buying up so many US tech companies they soon all be based in China

          • Vorastra

            July 11, 2019 at 10:25

            I mean, sure. Nothing I’ve said it controversial.

            Companies have to follow their countries laws any way. All I’ve done is extend it so that they can’t pick and choose what speech they like and don’t.

          • Vorastra

            July 11, 2019 at 10:25

            I mean, sure. Nothing I’ve said it controversial.

            Companies have to follow their countries laws any way. All I’ve done is extend it so that they can’t pick and choose what speech they like and don’t.

          • HvR

            July 11, 2019 at 10:25

            No I get your point.

            Facebook and Twitter both ban pretty much any firearm talk, now religious insults but outright hate speech and outright genocide speak on groups US neo-liberals do not consider minority is perfectly acceptable.

          • Barney Corbyn

            July 11, 2019 at 11:15

            I think this particular policy is trying to start to deal with this problem tho, they have outright said they intend to move this along to other groups depending on the success of it

    • Barney Corbyn

      July 11, 2019 at 10:24

      A christian saying something like “christians are all animals” will still be hate speech, but saying ” christianity has been on the wrong side of social issues ” is just a criticism and its all based in the wording. I think the are waging a war on emotional and hateful language, but like anything things will still slip thru and offend. I think its good, everyone should be protected not just a select few groups. Either everyone gets protected or nobody does, everyone on the same level

      Reply

  2. Gavin Mannion

    July 11, 2019 at 09:51

    ergh the last thing this world needs is more religious protection.

    Having a religious belief is all good and well, just keep it to yourself and don’t expect others to respect it. You don’t respect my belief in Liverpool being the be all and end all of life and happiness

    Reply

    • Barney Corbyn

      July 11, 2019 at 10:25

      No your wrong, you just strawmanned most or all religious people as a group that cannot shut up about their beliefs or that there seems to only be hate speech when these groups open their mouths. Does that mean you dont think other groups should be protected?

      Reply

    • Barney Corbyn

      July 11, 2019 at 10:25

      No your wrong, you just strawmanned most or all religious people as a group that cannot shut up about their beliefs or that there seems to only be hate speech when these groups open their mouths. Does that mean you dont think other groups should be protected?

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        July 11, 2019 at 10:25

        No I’m not. Religious organisations have far too much protection already. They have been consistently proven to be dangerous to society and yet they are tax exempt and in many many countries you can be put to death for mocking someone’s religion.

        I don’t believe you deserve protection from my calling your god a pedophile protecting, voyeuristic creep who enjoys watching children die while granting your wish to find your car keys.

        Reply

        • Yahtzee

          July 11, 2019 at 10:42

          “Religious organisations”

          I just like to call them “Tax free businesses”

          Reply

        • Yahtzee

          July 11, 2019 at 10:42

          “Religious organisations”

          I just like to call them “Tax free businesses”

          Reply

        • Barney Corbyn

          July 11, 2019 at 10:42

          There is a massive difference between religious organisations and followers and their beleifs tho isn’t there ? And this policy is clearly focusing on followers. As far as I am concerned tho, using your logic every group is dangerous and has proven so over time, because we can just lump a group together doesnt make it right. And what do you mean by that last paragraph exactly? God goes around protecting paedophile’s ? I think you have issues and we have hit the tip of the iceberg in terms of your criticism

          Reply

          • Gavin Mannion

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

            erm, I think I’ve been quite clear on my issues about religion, it’s a disgrace and any modicum of research will show you that it was invented by humans to control humans.

            The idea that we have to respect this mass delusion as a society disgusts me.

            Thankfully I was never fiddled by the priest when I was in the catholic faith, but I do love to recall the priest talking about people of colour as animals and reminding us the bible confirms we can own them as they aren’t really human…

            I’ll leave you to research pedophillia in christianity.. just go google “Catholic pedophile priest”… enjoy the results that your god didn’t think was worth stopping.

            Since he’s apparently omnipotent there isn’t a single reason why he wouldn’t stop the priests abusing kids, unless he enjoyed it. Therefore, god is a pedophile… simple really

          • Barney Corbyn

            July 11, 2019 at 11:15

            First of all this entire article is about a policy that protects people regarding being called animals and what not, not actually about religion, so i dont give a damn about why you think about it, its out of context and just paints you has having issues. Anyone can do research, its prooving said research, and i raise you instead to google “international paedophille ring ” government and elite” and we will just leave the paedophille research there. As for god not doing anything and so hence must enjoy it, doesnt that apply to everything then? The drugs , the sex, homosexuality, snuff, criticalhit and you!

        • Barney Corbyn

          July 11, 2019 at 10:42

          There is a massive difference between religious organisations and followers and their beleifs tho isn’t there ? And this policy is clearly focusing on followers. As far as I am concerned tho, using your logic every group is dangerous and has proven so over time, because we can just lump a group together doesnt make it right. And what do you mean by that last paragraph exactly? God goes around protecting paedophile’s ? I think you have issues and we have hit the tip of the iceberg in terms of your criticism

          Reply

  3. Vorastra

    July 11, 2019 at 10:08

    I wonder how Palestinian and Israeli arguments will be handled considering they always tend to boil down to, “yeah but MY god gave me this!”

    Reply

    • HvR

      July 11, 2019 at 10:08

      Was thinking the same thing or when Christians start arguing with any other religion or when Pakistanis and Indians start a twitter war.

      Probably going to cause the the sensor bot to go into a permanent race condition; so either the Twitter sensor bot is going to ban all of Twitter or it is going to turn into Skynet and wipe out everybody.

      Reply

      • Barney Corbyn

        July 11, 2019 at 11:32

        And what about groups like the khmer rouge?

        Reply

        • HvR

          July 11, 2019 at 12:15

          Might be mistaken but think they are pretty much defunct since the 90’s

          Reply

          • Barney Corbyn

            July 11, 2019 at 12:24

            It basically changed name to the Democratic National Union Movement, and was dissolved in 1999. But dissolved or not, it does not mean that attitudes have changed and the people of this group is not causing trouble

  4. Magoo

    July 11, 2019 at 10:41

    Twitter moderation is useless. Just take a look at Julius Malema’s account.

    Reply

  5. Magoo

    July 11, 2019 at 10:41

    Twitter moderation is useless. Just take a look at Julius Malema’s account.

    Reply

    • Yahtzee

      July 11, 2019 at 10:42

      I wanted to point out that you can just go look at the majority of EFF twitter accounts and see what these “policies” actually accomplish. But then it would just start a race war, and that’s something that’s actually real unlike…

      Reply

    • Yahtzee

      July 11, 2019 at 10:42

      I wanted to point out that you can just go look at the majority of EFF twitter accounts and see what these “policies” actually accomplish. But then it would just start a race war, and that’s something that’s actually real unlike…

      Reply

    • HvR

      July 11, 2019 at 10:42

      Just like all the other platforms, YT allows to most awfull BS and yet when someones mention “Nazi” they get demonetised and soft-banned regardless if it is the best researched history series on WW1 and WW2 produced in decades.

      Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 11, 2019 at 10:43

        I almost got scammed into buying bathwater on that damn site

        Reply

        • HvR

          July 11, 2019 at 10:43

          So how long were you on YP waiting for the videos

          Reply

          • Yahtzee

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

            It’s a good thing you abbreviated that or else we would have a hoard of christians on our ass right about now.

          • HvR

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

            *Goes to YP to search “hoard of christians on our ass”

          • Magoo

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

            Abbreviated what? YOUPORN?

            Also, just casually proving you wrong. 😛

          • Yahtzee

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

          • Magoo

            July 11, 2019 at 10:58

            Spanky spank. xD

          • Yahtzee

            July 11, 2019 at 10:59

            bruh…

            xD

          • HvR

            July 11, 2019 at 10:59

      • Yahtzee

        July 11, 2019 at 10:43

        I almost got scammed into buying bathwater on that damn site

        Reply

    • HvR

      July 11, 2019 at 10:42

      Just like all the other platforms, YT allows to most awfull BS and yet when someones mention “Nazi” they get demonetised and soft-banned regardless if it is the best researched history series on WW1 and WW2 produced in decades.

      Reply

  6. Yahtzee

    July 11, 2019 at 09:52

    If I am not allowed to do something because of YOUR religion and I get flack for it, you better believe I am not going to let some silly policy stop me from voicing my own damn opinion about it.

    And I came out of a very religions household and for years I was a catholic, so I know exactly how absurd they can get about forcing others to see it their way and only their way.

    Reply

    • Barney Corbyn

      July 11, 2019 at 10:25

      This law isnt really going to stop you expressing an opinion tho unless you have said something bigoted. And you coming from a religious household and stating you understand its absurd won’t make anything you say less hateful if it comes out that way

      Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 11, 2019 at 10:42

        Indeed. I have cast aside the religion that was forced upon me as a child and know full well if I say something bigoted I am going to get shit for it. I don’t actively stir to start a debate since it usually starts at the religious persons side anyway. Only then will I engage in that little spat and say/comment something.

        Also this is not a “law”, it’s a policy from a social media corporation.

        Reply

      • Yahtzee

        July 11, 2019 at 10:42

        Indeed. I have cast aside the religion that was forced upon me as a child and know full well if I say something bigoted I am going to get shit for it. I don’t actively stir to start a debate since it usually starts at the religious persons side anyway. Only then will I engage in that little spat and say/comment something.

        Also this is not a “law”, it’s a policy from a social media corporation.

        Reply

        • Barney Corbyn

          July 11, 2019 at 10:58

          Yeah it is a policy, but you knew what i meant. I have to take your word for it that you never start these things.

          Reply

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