Twitter Updates Hate Speech, Self-Harm Policies | Digital Trends

Twitter has devoted a new section to “abusive behavior” as part of an update to its rules and policies. Whereas in the past, a sweeping “abuse and spam” section dealt with its policies regarding hate speech and violence, the update clarifies Twitter’s position on the subject.

So what exactly has changed then? As part of the update, Twitter maintains and makes official its stance on freedom of expression from the outset. The introduction to the “Abusive Behavior” rules explicitly state that the company believes in “freedom of expression and in speaking truth to power.” There is also a pragmatism within the new text that underlines the need to curtail intimidation and threatening behavior, in order to allow users to express themselves freely.