Twitter has taken action against a tweet posted by US President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Twitter has taken action against a tweet posted by US President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Twitter has taken action against a tweet posted by US President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Twitter has taken action against a tweet posted by US President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Twitter flags 'abusive' Trump tweet threatening force against protesters


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

Twitter has taken action over a tweet from US President Donald Trump in which he threatened to use "serious force" against protesters in Washington, saying it broke rules about abusive content.

The move on Tuesday appeared to be the first by Twitter against Mr Trump for an "abusive" tweet.

It is the latest clash in a growing dispute, the platform has recently labelled other tweets by him as misleading and in breach of its standards against promoting violence.

"There will never be an Autonomous Zone in Washington DC as long as I'm your President," Mr Trump tweeted.

"If they try they will be met with serious force!"

The action by Twitter requires users to click through to read the tweet, with a tag on the message saying that it "violated the Twitter rules about abusive behaviour", but would still be accessible "in the public's interest".

Mr Trump's tweet referred to the police-free district created by protesters in Seattle, Washington state, two weeks ago, which sparked outrage among conservatives.

Twitter's move intensified the battle between the White House and social media companies, which Mr Trump has accused of bias against conservatives, despite his own large following.

He has already signed an executive order that could lead to more government regulation of social media companies, despite doubts about its legality.

The Trump administration has also indicated that it wants to overhaul a law that gives platforms protection from content posted by others.

The reform which could open the floodgates to litigation.

Twitter said it acted on Tuesday because the tweet breached its policy against abusive behavior with "a threat of harm against an identifiable group."

In dealing with world leaders it mainly labels posts to be in breach, which limits its reach and prevents others from liking or retweeting it, but leaves them available if they relate to "ongoing matters of public importance".

The new, aggressive stand by Twitter against the president is in contrast with Facebook, which has maintained a largely hands-off policy despite pressure from activists to curb inflammatory content.

Facebook did remove a Trump advertisement last week that contained a symbol used in Nazi Germany for political prisoners, saying it breached the platform's policy against "organised hate".

The line up

Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego  

Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh  

Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice. 

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Saturday  (UAE kick-off times)

Leganes v Getafe (12am)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Levante v Alaves (4pm)

Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)

Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)

Sunday

Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)

Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)

Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)

Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)

Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)

Monday

Barcelona v Granada (12am)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Company name: Play:Date

Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day

Founder: Shamim Kassibawi

Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US

Sector: Tech 

Size: 20 employees

Stage of funding: Seed

Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund

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