Sites move on hate as MPs demand action

TWITTER HAS caved in to pressure to curb the activity of extremists, including far-right fanatics and terrorist sympathisers.

On Monday, the social media site began to enforce new rules to cut down on abusive content by suspending the leaders of Britain First, whose antiMuslim videos sparked controversy when they were shared by Donald Trump last month.

Others who were barred included the American Nazi party.

Twitter said threats of violence or death were a violation of its policies and that the company intended to “create a safer environment for everyone”.

Marie van der Zyl, Board of Deputies vice-president, welcomed the move and said: “Twitter and other social media companies must be continually mindful about making their platforms safe as they evolve.”

Executives from Twitter, Facebook and Google appeared before a Parliamentary committee in Westminster on Tuesday to answer questions about how they tackle hate crimes.

Asked why offensive tweets, including antisemitic messages, had not been removed from the site, Sinead McSweeney, Twitter vice-president, said she did not know.

Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, quoted one message sent to a Jewish MP referring to her as a “filthy Jew bitch”.

Ms McSweeney was unable to answer when Ms Cooper asked: “That tweet is still up on your platform — why?”

Ms Cooper, the former Labour Shadow Home Secretary, said she had reported such messages to the company herself but had seen no action taken.

Facebook executives said they now had more than 7,500 people working to remove abuse from the site.

Ms McSweeney said Twitter was removing 95 per cent of terror content posted on its platform and had taken a stronger stance against hate imagery.

Stephen Doughty, a committee member and Labour MP, said the organisations either could not cope or “don’t care” about the issues.