HONG KONG (AP) — Twitter says it is cracking down on accounts and content related to QAnon, the far-right U.S. conspiracy theory popular among supporters of President Donald Trump.
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The measures include banning accounts associated with QAnon content, as well as blocking URLs associated with it from being shared on the platform. Twitter also said that it would stop highlighting and recommending tweets associated with QAnon.
“We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm,” the company said in a tweet late Tuesday.
Accounts that are “engaged in violations of our multi-account policy, coordinating abuse around individual victims, or are attempting to evade a previous suspension” will be suspended permanently, Twitter said.
Over 7,000 accounts have been removed over the last few weeks for such violations, the company said in a statement. It also expects over 150,000 accounts globally to have reduced visibility due to these measures.
The QAnon conspiracy theory is centered on the baseless belief that Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the “deep state” and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals. For more than two years, followers have pored over tangled clues purportedly posted online by a high-ranking government official known only as “Q.”
The conspiracy theory emerged in a dark corner of the internet but has been creeping into the mainstream political arena. Trump has retweeted QAnon-promoting accounts and its followers flock to his rallies wearing clothes and hats with QAnon symbols and slogans.
Twitter’s move follows in the footsteps of Facebook, which in May also removed several groups, accounts and pages against QAnon.
Its no conspiracy that trump wished Jeffrey Epsrein’s procurer well on national tv. He just lost another million women independent voters. Ask Melania.
Did anyone hear about the mass shooting at a funeral yesterday in the city of Chicago? Did Twitter ban any talk of violence in these cities?
I am a big QAnon supporter and believer. So I am mad about this censorship. I understand some of you think I’m crazy. But just read it and wonder aloud what if it is true? If there is a chance that it is true we must get to the bottom as patriotic USA people. I like to tell people, just because I’m crazy don’t mean I’m not right. My neighbor called me crazy cat man because I have 14 cats but then last week he was complaining that he had mice running all about in his garage and I don’t have any. That’s how it is with us QAnon people. You all think we’re crazy but then one day you’ll see we saved America once again.
Why is Twitter fighting against a group that encourages unity among all races and religions and fights against child abuse?