Twitter Backs Down, Unlocks New York Post’s Twitter Account

Twitter Backs Down, Unlocks New York Post’s Twitter Account

In a transparent, clearly partisan attempt to squelch the New York Post’s bombshell report on Biden family influence peddling, Twitter took the unusual and alarming step of not only locking the Post‘s Twitter account but of blocking all Twitter users from sharing the link to/url of the story.

Needless to say, the move created a wave of criticism and backlash that prompted Twitter to shift course, to allow the sharing of the Post story, and to change its “Hacked Materials policy” (even though it did not apply to the Post story, Twitter initially insisted that it did).

What it did not do, however, was prompt Twitter to unlock the Post‘s Twitter account. Indeed, Twitter demanded that the Post delete its links to their own reporting before it would release the Post from the #TwitterGulag.

In a bizarre power struggle, Twitter insisted on the deletions . . . but would permit the Post to repost the exact same tweets.  The Post said no way would they bow to this petty tech tyranny, and after two weeks, Twitter relented.

We’re baaaaaaack https://t.co/D39qdLGMdV pic.twitter.com/SkVtp4o9ew

— New York Post (@nypost) October 30, 2020

“How tweet it is,” the Post celebrated.

Twitter backed down Friday in its battle with The Post and unlocked its main account after a two-week stalemate over the Hunter Biden exposé.

The move came after The Post refused Twitter’s demand that it delete six tweets that linked to stories that the company claimed — without any evidence — were based on hacked information.

The Post never budged, and kept the tweets on the account during the standoff — even as Twitter obscured them from view.

In a series of tweets, the social-media giant said it was revising its “Hacked Materials Policy” and “updating our practice of not retroactively overturning prior enforcement.”

“Our policies are living documents,” said one of the tweets from @TwitterSafety.

“We’re willing to update and adjust them when we encounter new scenarios or receive important feedback from the public.”

. . . .  On Friday, the company said that under its latest policy revision, “Decisions made under policies that are subsequently changed & published can now be appealed if the account at issue is a driver of that change.”

“We believe this is fair and appropriate,” Twitter said.

“This means that because a specific @nypost enforcement led us to update the Hacked Materials Policy, we will no longer restrict their account under the terms of the previous policy and they can now Tweet again.”

News Corp called Twitter’s decision to reinstate the Post‘s account without the Post bowing to its unreasonable demands an “important moment for journalism and for the freedom of the press.”

New York (October 30, 2020)—News Corp Chief Communications Officer Jim Kennedy has commented on Twitter unlocking the New York Post’s account today:

“This is an important moment for journalism and for the freedom of the press. There is no evidence whatsoever that the documents are not authentic and the arbitrary blocking of the Post was a significant moment during a critical time in this election season. It also had a negative commercial impact, but the Post team was determined that principle should prevail and it has. Alexander Hamilton, the paper’s founder, looks down tonight with a broad smile and a sense of pride.”

Of course this is a single battle, not the war, but the Post‘s victory is indeed tweet.

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