The changes, which concerned Twitter users are bringing to light using the hashtag #TwitterPurge, have already begun with the removal of obviously problematic content like "non-consensual nudity" and other forms of exploitative content. But the next phase of the purge, according to reports, is a lot less transparent, and could be used to target users who post anything that Twitter's policy police determine to be "offensive."
As of this writing, the only information that Twitter has released about what it plans to remove next is that it will include "Hateful Imagery and Hate Symbols." But what does this actually mean, and who gets to decide what constitutes a hateful image or symbol? So the only thing anyone who cares can do is wait until Twitter decides to provide further clarity as to the type of content it wishes to remove from its platform.
"Our media policy will be updated in the coming weeks to include hateful imagery and hate symbols," reads an obscure Twitter announcement about the upcoming new rules. "This means that this content will no longer be permitted in avatars or profile headers. Tweets containing this type of content will be placed behind an interstitial. We will share examples of hateful imagery and symbols when the policy is finalized."
Expect more pro-Antifa and less pro-America on Twitter in the near future
Based on the censorship activities of Twitter in the past, many suspect that conservative-leaning content will be the first to go with the next purge. After all, Twitter announced earlier in the year that it was launching a new initiative to combat what it described as "abuse and harassment" taking place on the platform – a position that effectively silences free speech in the name of protecting free speech.
If the folks who run Twitter are of the same mind as those who control Amazon, then things like Confederate battle flags, Nazi apparel, and other paraphernalia that leftist loons see as representing the "alt-right" are also likely to get axed. Pretty much anything that counters the narrative of pro-globalism, pro-multiculturalism, and extreme political correctness could very easily get the "hate" label and be deemed off limits, should some social justice warrior at the social media giant get triggered by a "controversial" post.
Twitter has already stated that it plans to ban "the types of content that glorify or condone acts of violence that result in death or serious physical harm." Such ambiguous language could easily be extrapolated an applied to Twitter users who support President Trump, for instance, as many alt-left extremists see the Commander in Chief as representing "hate" and "violence" against minorities.
At the same time, it is unlikely that Twitter will go after "Antifa," Black Lives Matter, or any of the other extremist groups that are right now calling for actual violence against their political opponents. The type of disruptive and destabilizing behavior being pushed by hate groups like these epitomizes what Twitter says it plans to crack down on, but will things actually go down this way? If the sentiment of Twitter users who are upset about this latest announcement is any indication, then the answer is no.
"I can guarantee none of the liberals lost any followers today #TwitterPurge," tweeted one Twitter user about the many conservative-leaning Twitter pages that have already lost large numbers of followers because of the changes.
"#Twitterpurge is under way of many accounts to the right of Che Guevara," tweeted another user in jest.
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