Offensive content

Twitter is a social broadcast network that enables people and organizations to publicly share brief messages instantly around the world. This brings a variety of users with different voices, ideas and perspectives. Users are allowed to post content, including potentially inflammatory content, as long as they’re not violating the Twitter Rules. It’s important to know that Twitter does not screen content or remove potentially offensive content.

As a policy, we do not mediate content or intervene in disputes between users. However, targeted abuse or harassment may constitute a violation of the Twitter Rules and Terms of Service. If you are a victim of targeted abuse or harassment, you can read more about how to deal with your issue here. 

Have you seen something on Twitter you disagree with? Here are some tips that may help you deal with your situation:

Consider the context

Twitter lets us participate in broad conversations and connect with people from many corners of the world. While hearing from more people can be enriching, it can also be a source of frustration and misunderstanding if the context of the conversation is not considered. Seeing your @username mentioned in a Tweet can be confusing if you don’t understand why it was used. 

When you see an upsetting Tweet, step back and consider the larger conversation it may be connected to. Since Tweets are short, only 140 characters long, the author’s intended meaning may have been lost or distorted.  Tweet back using an @ reply to join the conversation and surface the concern. Send a Direct Message if you would prefer to communicate privately. Having more information makes it easier to understand the context and can lead to healthy dialogue.

Block and ignore

Understanding the context often diffuses a negative or confusing interaction, but, there are times when further action, like unfollowing or blocking someone, may be more effective. When you block a user you will not be notified when they mention you, Retweet you, like your content, add you to a list or subscribe to one of your lists. You also won’t see any of these interactions in your timeline. 

For more information on how to manage a situation that you believe is abusive, please visit the Online Abuse page. 

There are many online resources that can help. Click here for a list of our safety resources.