wraggster
July 31st, 2013, 19:56
Social network responds to more than 100,000 complaints against user being threatened with rape on Twitter.
Journalist and feminist Caroline Criado-Perez was recently campaigning on Twitter for more women's faces to be found on banknotes, which resulted in one deranged user threatening her with rape.
Criado-Perez reached out to Twitter manager of journalism and news, Mark S. Luckie, who failed to act or respond to the cries for help. This resulted in the launch of a petition for all Twitter accounts to feature a 'report abuse button,' which has notched up more than 102,000 supporters.
The petition said: "Abuse on Twitter is common; sadly too common. And it frequently goes ignored. We need Twitter to recognise that it's current reporting system is below required standards.
"It currently requires users to search for details on how to report someone for abuse; a feature that should be available on each user's page. It is time Twitter took a zero tolerance policy on abuse. It's time Twitter started protecting its users."
Twitter has now responded, taking the opportunity to boast 400 million tweets a day sent globally, and insists the recently 'report tweet' button added to iPhone and the mobile web will debut on Android and desktops.
Del Harvey, senior director of trust & safety at Twitter, said: "While manually reviewing every tweet is not possible due to Twitter’s global reach and level of activity, we use both automated and manual systems to evaluate reports of users potentially violating our Twitter Rules. These rules explicitly bar direct, specific threats of violence against others and use of our service for unlawful purposes, for which users may be suspended when reported.
"To the extent that our system is based around the filing of reports with our Trust & Safety team, we strive to make it easier and more practical to file them. Three weeks ago, we rolled out the ability to file reports from an individual Tweet on our iPhone app and the mobile version of our site, and we plan to bring this functionality to Android and desktop web users."
http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/twitter-we-ll-add-report-abuse-button-to-android-and-desktops/022024
Journalist and feminist Caroline Criado-Perez was recently campaigning on Twitter for more women's faces to be found on banknotes, which resulted in one deranged user threatening her with rape.
Criado-Perez reached out to Twitter manager of journalism and news, Mark S. Luckie, who failed to act or respond to the cries for help. This resulted in the launch of a petition for all Twitter accounts to feature a 'report abuse button,' which has notched up more than 102,000 supporters.
The petition said: "Abuse on Twitter is common; sadly too common. And it frequently goes ignored. We need Twitter to recognise that it's current reporting system is below required standards.
"It currently requires users to search for details on how to report someone for abuse; a feature that should be available on each user's page. It is time Twitter took a zero tolerance policy on abuse. It's time Twitter started protecting its users."
Twitter has now responded, taking the opportunity to boast 400 million tweets a day sent globally, and insists the recently 'report tweet' button added to iPhone and the mobile web will debut on Android and desktops.
Del Harvey, senior director of trust & safety at Twitter, said: "While manually reviewing every tweet is not possible due to Twitter’s global reach and level of activity, we use both automated and manual systems to evaluate reports of users potentially violating our Twitter Rules. These rules explicitly bar direct, specific threats of violence against others and use of our service for unlawful purposes, for which users may be suspended when reported.
"To the extent that our system is based around the filing of reports with our Trust & Safety team, we strive to make it easier and more practical to file them. Three weeks ago, we rolled out the ability to file reports from an individual Tweet on our iPhone app and the mobile version of our site, and we plan to bring this functionality to Android and desktop web users."
http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/twitter-we-ll-add-report-abuse-button-to-android-and-desktops/022024