Twitter Just Suspended Even More Tweet-Stealing Accounts — Except This Time, They Were Verified

One of the accounts @FreddyAmazin, had more than 5 million followers.

Many of those accounts were hugely popular, and had hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers.

“Tweet stealing,” or the practice of plagiarizing another person’s tweet and passing it off as your own, has long plagued Twitter and irked many users.

Though people had complained about these accounts for years, Twitter did not take action against them until BuzzFeed News reported on the existence of "tweetdeckers" in January.

@FreddyAmazin was considered one of the original tweet stealers, and had more than 5 million followers at the time of his suspension.

“Keeping Twitter safe and free from spam is a top priority for us," a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. "We have policies in place that prohibit behavior such as selling or trading engagements, or engaging in spammy behavior."

The spokesperson also responded to the users who've assumed the accounts weren't suspended right away because of their verified status, saying Twitter staff "take time to ensure we get it right."

"These rules apply to everyone using our service, including Verified accounts, and we take action on any accounts that violate our policies," the spokesperson said. "We recognize how important it is to enforce these rules fairly and carefully, and take time to ensure we get it right before taking action.”

It is not entirely clear why these accounts were originally verified, but it may have taken place months, or even years ago, when Twitter allowed users to apply to be verified.

Because the accounts used their actual names and photos, and because their large quantities of followers may have made led Twitter to consider them "an account of public interest," it's possible they were given verification through application.

Twitter largely halted verifications in November amid widespread criticism over white supremacists being verified.

At the time, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey admitted "the system is broken and needs to be reconsidered."

LINK: "Tweetdecking" Is Taking Over Twitter. Here's Everything You Need To Know

LINK: Twitter Just Suspended A Ton Of Accounts Known For Stealing Tweets

from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/2GB2qQE