Racist and Alt Right Twitter accounts finally lose their verification ticks
A number of verified far-right accounts have lost their Twitter verification ticks after a change in the site's policy.
Twitter's been introducing a number of drastic changes over the past month, among them the seemingly unnecessary introduction of 280 character tweets, and 50 character display names.
And while some welcomed these changes, a large majority used them to highlight the one very big change users actually wanted to see:
Many people used the new 50 character display name to pressure Twitter into dealing with its large, and very real, problem of Alt-right, abusive accounts.
Over the past year, the site has seen a spike in far-right accounts that spew vitriolic hate speech. Reports of racism and threats of violence have fallen on deaf ears, allowing the accounts to continue their crusades.
EDL leader Tommy Robinson perpetually tweets Islamophobic slurs
However, as of today it seems like Twitter is finally listening.
Changing what violates its policies, a number of far-right accounts lost the privilege of being verified.
The verified tick was initially used to distinguish celebrities, journalists and officials, however in more years it was appropriated to become a 'mark of importance' as social media influencers grew in number.
Amongst those who lost out on their ticks were EDL leader Tommy Robinson, white supremacist Richard Spencer and a number of white supremacists who helped organise the violent marches in Charlottesville in August (in which 3 people were killed).
The truth is now hate speech pic.twitter.com/LHHFgdD05P
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) November 15, 2017
The new verification policy now takes into account a person's behaviour both on and off the site, meaning a larger number of those seen to be engaging in hate speech and acts could be, and rightfully should be, at risk of losing their ticks.
Twitter users are revelling in the changes, as the site has finally heeded calls for change:
Nazis: Take away everything from minority groups! They should have nothing, no rights, nothing!
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) November 16, 2017
*lose their blue ticks*
Nazis: How dare you take away something from us, a minority group! We demand our rights!
first they came for the nazis’ blue ticks, and i did not speak out, because there was literally no problem with this, it affects nothing, you absolute losers, delete your accounts
— Jon Stone (@joncstone) November 15, 2017
first they came for the nazis, and i did nothing, as i am not a nazi. and then the nazis were gone and honestly we all agreed it was better.
— Magazines Visaggio (@MagsVisaggs) November 16, 2017
Ahhh, *breathes large sigh of relief*.