The general manager for Twitter in the U.K. has promised to simplify the process for reporting abusive tweets after a freelance journalist, broadcaster, and feminist campaigner reported numerous rape threats on the micro-blogging service.
"We're testing ways to simplify reporting, e.g. within a Tweet by using the 'Report Tweet' button in our iPhone app and on mobile Web," Twitter's Tony Wang tweeted this weekend.
Wang's comment came after Caroline Criado-Perez received a barrage of threats on Twitter following a successful campaign to have author Jane Austen featured on the 10 pound note. A Change.org petition then asked Twitter to revamp its reporting system, which "is below required standards," the petition said.
On Saturday, Criado-Perez pinged Twitter's head of safety to say she was "reaching the end of my third day of rape threats. What is twitter doing about this?" That prompted a response from Twitter, including Wang.
The threats ranged from messages that said "can I rape you?" to those that said "I will find you," and beyond. As Sky News reported, a 21-year-old man was arrested for the threats he made against Criado-Perez.
It appears that many of the accounts that made the threats against Criado-Perez have been suspended. "We will suspend accounts that, once reported to us, are found to be in breach of our rules," Wang tweeted. But the process for reporting abusive tweets is still a bit cumbersome.
On iOS, there is a "Report tweet" option via the "..." button, which allows users to flag a tweet as spam, compromised, or abusive, or to block a user. But those who select abusive must complete a form. On Twitter.com, users can select "Flag Media," which tells Twitter to review that tweet, but from the timeline, the "..." button only gives users the option to share via email or embed the tweet. If you click through to someone's full profile, and click the person icon, there's the option to block or report someone for spam, but not abusive behavior. For that you have to go to the abusive user form.
Criado-Perez stressed that she does not want to stifle free speech, pointing to a tweet that, while lewd, is not threatening and should be allowed. "I am fighting against those" that would be considered a violation of the U.K.'s harassment laws, she said.
Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2422387,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000993
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