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Twitter Change Policy to Prohibit the Sharing of Images or Videos of People without Their Permission

There are some exceptions to the policy that Twitter have said will require consideration before a decision to take action is made. These include media featuring public figures or individuals and accompanying Tweets that are shared in the public interest or add value to public discourse. If you are affected by anything touched on within this article, follow the links to our various support services or click on the blue logo icon at the bottom right of the screen to start using Cybersmile Assistant, our smart AI support assistant.

Twitter have announced a sweeping new policy change that prohibits users from sharing pictures or videos of people without their permission and have indicated that they are prepared to permanently ban users who violate the new rule.

Although Twitter already have bans in place for the publishing of private information, as they do for sharing private intimate images, the new policy will now cover images and video content of people in regular settings too. This means that anyone can report images or video content of themselves that have been published on Twitter without permission so that they can be taken down.

“Beginning today, we will not allow the sharing of private media, such as images or videos of private individuals without consent. Publishing people’s private info is also prohibited under the policy, as is threatening or incentivizing others to do so.”

Twitter Statement

The amendment to Twitter’s policy is seen as a positive move by many, as well as clear acknowledgement from the platform that this type of content can be used as a tool to intimidate, harass and reveal personal information about people and that this could potentially lead to emotional or physical harm.

“The misuse and sharing of personal information or images can have a potentially devastating impact. Empowering users with the option to have this type of content removed if it is being used to target them is a huge step forward.”

Dan Raisbeck, Co-founder, The Cybersmile Foundation

There are some exceptions to the policy that Twitter have said will require consideration before a decision to take action is made. These include media featuring public figures or individuals and accompanying tweets that are shared in the public interest or add value to public discourse.

Some critics have asked if Twitter should be the appropriate arbiter of what is in the public interest. The company have stated that it would, “also take into consideration whether the image being shared was publicly available or whether it was being covered by traditional media organizations when deciding whether to remove content.”

If you are affected by anything touched on within this article, we can help you. Visit our Help Center or click on the blue logo icon at the bottom right of the screen to open Cybersmile Assistant, our smart AI support assistant.

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What are your thoughts on these new rules that Twitter have introduced? Let us know by contacting us or tweet us @CybersmileHQ.