AnalystMick Backup

Further comment from Twitter, in response to questions about arms analysts facing Twitter enforcement action for posts about weapons used in high-profile attacks:

New update from Twitter: "Tweets that demonstrate how firearms can be built — regardless of the context — are in violation of the stated policies."

Hoping to get further clarification from @twitter on this issue. Analysis of the kinds of weapons used in attacks can be very relevant to journalists and the public, as @AnalystMick's Halle tweets certainly were. xitter.cf/Mick_Backup/status/118…

I messaged with @AnalystMick @Mick_Backup about the images of the weapons used in the Halle attack. Their analysis included early, relevant information about the kind of weapons used in the attack, and their conclusions were backed up by subsequent reporting.

A Twitter spokesperson directed me to its policy on illegal/regulated weapons, but has not yet clarified where the company draws the line between "selling, buying, or facilitating transactions" in illegal weapons, and tweeting analysis about weapons used in high-profile attacks.

Have asked @Twitter about why it appears to have cracked down on @AnalystMick, an account that tweeted early analysis about the homemade guns used in the Halle synagogue attack.