Help Center

Twitter media policy

Please note: this policy will be updated later this year to include hate symbols and hateful imagery. This Help Center page and the Twitter Rules will be updated before any enforcement actions are taken. To see the latest on our upcoming policy changes, follow updates at @TwitterSafety.

Media on Twitter

Some forms of graphic violence or adult content may be permitted in Tweets when they are marked as sensitive media. However, you may not include this type of content in live video, or in profile or header images. Additionally, we may sometimes require you to remove media containing excessively graphic violence out of respect for the deceased and their families if we receive a request from their family or an authorized representative. Learn more about how to make such a request.

You may not use our service for any unlawful purposes or in furtherance of illegal activities. International users agree to comply with all local laws regarding online conduct and acceptable content.

What is considered graphic violence or adult content?

We consider graphic violence to be any form of gory media related to death, serious injury, violence, or surgical procedures. Some examples include, but are not limited to, depictions of:

  • the moment at which someone dies
  • gruesome crime or accident scenes
  • bodily harm, torture, dismemberment, or mutilation

We consider adult content to be any media that is pornographic and/or may be intended to cause sexual arousal. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

  • full or partial nudity (including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts)
    • Please note that exceptions may be made for artistic, medical, health, or educational content. Breastfeeding content does not need to be marked as sensitive. 
  • simulating a sexual act
  • intercourse or any sexual act (may involve humans, humanoid animals, cartoons, or anime)

If you see media you think may be in violation of our policy, report it. You can read about how to report sensitive media.

Your media settings

All Twitter accounts have media settings to help Twitter understand the type of media you are posting and to help us assist others to find the type of content that they’re interested in.

By appropriately marking your media settings, Twitter can identify potentially sensitive content that other users may not wish to see, such as violence or nudity. If you intend to regularly post such content, we request that you adjust your media setting:

  1. Log in to your account on the web at twitter.com.
  2. Click your profile icon in the top right navigation bar.
  3. Select Settings and privacy from the drop-down menu.
  4. Go to your Privacy and safety settings.
  5. Look for the Tweet media section and check the box next to Mark media you Tweet as containing material that may be sensitive.
    Note: When you have this setting enabled, people who visit your profile may see a message letting them know your account may include potentially sensitive content and asking them to confirm they still want to view it. People who have opted in to see possibly sensitive content will still see your account without the message.

You can control your preferences for how and when you may see sensitive content in your media settings.

What if I don’t change my media settings and post sensitive media?

If one of your Tweets containing media is reported as sensitive, it will be sent to Twitter for review. If we find that the media wasn’t marked as being potentially sensitive at the time of the upload:

  • We may label the media as being potentially sensitive, or in the case of live video, remove the content entirely.
  • We may also change your account setting to Mark media you Tweet as containing material that may be sensitive so that future posts are marked accordingly.

You will receive an email letting you know that we’ve labeled your media and if we changed your media setting. You will be able to change your media settings on your account settings page, though this image and any other images that have been labeled will remain marked as potentially sensitive.

If you repeatedly upload media that is mislabeled, we may:

  • Label your media as having potentially sensitive content.
  • Permanently adjust your account setting to Mark media you Tweet as containing material that may be sensitive so that your future posts have a warning message users must click through before viewing your media.

Twitter may also use automated techniques to detect and label potentially sensitive media, and to detect and label accounts that frequently Tweet potentially sensitive media.

What happens if my profile image is in violation of the Twitter Rules?

If your profile or header image contains content in violation of the Twitter Rules, we may temporarily suspend your account and remove the offending content. Repeat violations will result in a permanent suspension.

Additionally, your account may be locked if media in your profile is in violation of Twitter's media policy. In order to unlock your account, you will need to follow our instructions and delete the media in violation. If your account has been locked, see this article for more information.

Can I appeal a decision made by Twitter?

If you are suspended for having a graphic violence or adult content in your profile image or header image you can appeal by logging into your account and submitting an appeal here.

There is currently no way to appeal a decision by Twitter that permanently changes your account setting to Mark media you Tweet as containing material that may be sensitive in response to repeated mislabeling of sensitive content.