Larry Magid: Twitter Tries To Limit Abuse
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Twitter is making it easier for users to report abuse after thousands petitioned the social media site following threats on a woman in Britain.
The company recently introduced a way to file reports of abusive tweets on its iPhone app and said it plans to expand the function for people using its Android app and desktops.
Larry Magid: Twitter Tries To Limit Abuse
Much of this stems from recent attacks on Twitter against Caroline Criado-Perez, a freelance journalist and feminist, who led a drive to persuade the Bank of England to put Jane Austen's image on the back of the new 10-pound note. She had argued that at least one piece of paper currency should bear the likeness of a woman not in the royal family.
After celebrating the bank's announcement that it planned to put Austen's face on the back of the note, Criado-Perez was bombarded with threats of rape and other abusive language on Twitter. She reported the abuse to both Twitter and police and an online petition quickly gathered more than 60,000 signatures demanding that the company make it easier to report abusive Tweets.
Although it doesn't completely solve the problem, this will make it a bit easier to report abusive behavior.
You can hear Larry Magid's Tech Report Monday through Friday at 3:50pm on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.
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