Twitter bans sharing 'private' images, videos without consent

San Francisco: Twitter has expanded its private information policy to include media—banning users from sharing photos or videos of a person without their permission.

As per blue bird platform, tweeting someone’s images can violate their privacy and potentially lead to harm against them. 

The social media platform already prohibits tweets containing someone’s phone number, email address, real name, etc. Its new rules will ban users from posting any media of private individuals without their consent.

The inclusion of media is a small addition to the already existing rule, however, the media ban applies differently to public figures. 

The ban doesn’t cover private media of public figures or others if a photo or video, and the text in the tweet, “are shared in the public interest or add value to public discourse”. In other words, if it’s newsworthy, Twitter may allow the media to remain on the platform. 

The company says it will start enforcing the private image rule today and that the new measure is part of its work to bring its safety policies in line with human rights standards. 

Beginning today, we will not allow the sharing of private media, such as images or videos of private individuals without their consent. Publishing people's private info is also prohibited under the policy, as is threatening or incentivizing others to do so.https://t.co/7EXvXdwegG

— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) November 30, 2021

The Twitter Safety team wrote in a blog post that although anyone can be impacted by private media being shared, it “can have a disproportionate effect on women, activists, dissidents and members of minority communities”. 

If someone reports a photo or video that violates the policy, Twitter will remove the media and take action based on its enforcement options. 

Users who violate the new rule could be permanently banned. 

The move, basically, is to curb harassment and intimidation on the platform, but Twitter notes the sharing of private media can have a disproportionate effect on women, activists, dissidents and members of minority communities.

The update comes just a day after CEO Jack Dorsey announced he is stepping down from Twitter.

In the meantime, the microblogging network's stocks saw a nearly five percent drop in trading on Tuesday (November 30).