Why Twitter Locked Diamond and Silk’s Account After A Controversial Tweet
Controversial conservative video bloggers Diamond and Silk had their Twitter account temporarily locked over a tweet that was critical of orders to stay at home to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
The duo, who have been ardent supporters of President Trump since he first ran for the White House in 2016, tweeted: “The only way we can become immune to the environment; we must be out in the environment. Quarantining people inside of their houses for extended periods will make people sick!”
Shortly after they posted the message, their account was locked by Twitter.
“The Tweet is in violation of our COVID-19 misinformation policy. The account will be locked until the account owner removes the Tweet,” a Twitter spokesperson said, according to Deadline.com.
The tweet was reportedly removed on Wednesday.
Twitter rolled out a policy on March 18 that expanded on their definition of posts that could be seen as harmful. “We have broadened our definition of harm to address content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources of global and local public health information,” company officials announced.
Others who have had their accounts temporarily locked include Trump’s personal lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who tweeted a claim from conservative activist Charlie Kirk claiming that the drug hydroxycholoroquine could safely treat COVID-19. Although Trump himself has touted the drug, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force has said it needs more clinical trials.
Twitter said that Giuliani’s tweet was removed for violating the coronavirus misinformation policy.
Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s president, who is known globally as an ultra-right wing conservative, posted a similar tweet about the drug, which was also removed for the violation.