SHANGHAI: Twitter Inc. has apologized for suspending accounts critical of Chinese government policy days ahead of the 30th anniversary of a bloody crackdown on protesters at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, after an outcry among users.
In a statement posted to the company’s Public Policy Twitter feed on Saturday, Twitter said “a number of accounts” had been suspended as part of efforts to target accounts engaging in “platform manipulation.”
“Some of these were involved in commentary about China. These accounts were not mass reported by the Chinese authorities — this was a routine action on our part,” the company said.
Such actions sometimes “catch false positives or we make errors,” it added. Twitter said it was working to “ensure we overturn any errors.”
Twitter’s statement follows a sharp reaction from its users over the suspensions, including US Senator Marco Rubio, who in a tweet accused Twitter of becoming “a Chinese (government) censor.”
The approach of the 30th anniversary of the bloody June 4 crackdown on pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square has been accompanied in China by a tightening of censorship. Tools to detect and block content related to the 1989 crackdown have reached unprecedented levels of accuracy.
Twitter apologizes for blocked China accounts ahead of Tiananmen anniversary
Twitter apologizes for blocked China accounts ahead of Tiananmen anniversary
- The approach of the 30th anniversary of the bloody June 4 crackdown on pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square has been accompanied in China by a tightening of censorship
Media ministry’s Konoz wins 6 gold awards
- “The Destination” showcases the developments witnessed in Saudi Arabia over the past few years across political, economic, medical, sports, cultural, media and artistic fields
RIYADH: The Konoz Saudi Arabia initiative, one of the Ministry of Media’s programs, achieved a global milestone by winning six gold awards at the AVA Digital Awards for its documentary film “The Destination.”
Awards were given for documentary, film, editing, informational, cinematography and directing.
With the achievement, the film’s total awards since its release have risen to 13, in addition to receiving three international commendations, bringing the initiative’s overall tally to more than 50 local and international awards.
“The Destination” showcases the developments witnessed in Saudi Arabia over the past few years across political, economic, medical, sports, cultural, media and artistic fields. The film highlights the steady and accelerated steps toward realizing Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s transformation into a global destination.
The documentary is currently available on the Shahid and stc tv platforms, in addition to being screened onboard Saudia flights. It combines creative footage drawn from trusted media sources covering events across the Kingdom with exclusive interviews featuring experts and specialists in the fields addressed by the film.
To date, the documentary has surpassed 10 million views across various platforms.
The AVA Digital Awards are among the most prestigious international awards, established in the US nearly 19 years ago. The awards aim to honor excellence in planning, directing, design and production across digital campaigns, audio and video production, website development, and social-media marketing and engagement.
