When it comes to free speech, Twitter's liberal stance has been a blessing and a curse. While positive movements, productive alliances, and endless entertainment has been facilitated via the social media platform, it also gives voice to abusive, hateful trolls seeking to use their 140 characters for evil. According to Wired, the company is set to roll out updated policies on a number of post types, including:

  • Non-consensual nudity
  • Unwanted sexual advances
  • Hate symbols and imagery
  • Violent groups
  • Tweets that glorify violence 

These changes, made by Twitter's Trust and Safety Council, formed in 2016 in response to critiques of the company's failure to punish harassers, come after last week's controversial #WomenBoycottTwitter movement spurred by the company's decision to disable the verified account of actor Rose McGowan as she tweeted her personal experience of alleged sexual assault at the hands of Harvey Weinstein amid his sexual misconduct scandal. 

New policies will include expanded features that allow observers of unwanted sexual advances to report them. It also expands definitions of "nonconsensual nudity." The company also plans to place a "sensitive image" warning in front of hate symbols, though there is still work to be done on defining what qualifies as a hate symbol. Twitter also says it will take unspecified enforcement actions against "organizations that use/have historically used violence as a means to advance their cause."

Haters take notice – use your 140 characters wisely.

TWITTER