Twitter censored a call for bipartisan civility from former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, labeling it as “sensitive content.”
In response to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ expulsion from the Red Hen restaurant in Virginia, Fleischer posted, “I guess we’re heading into an America with Democrat-only restaurants, which will lead to Republican-only restaurants. Do the fools who threw Sarah out, and the people who cheer them on, really want us to be that kind of country?”
I guess we’re heading into an America with Democrat-only restaurants, which will lead to Republican-only restaurants. Do the fools who threw Sarah out, and the people who cheer them on, really want us to be that kind of country? https://t.co/n7RxHHoYF3
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) June 23, 2018
Despite lacking any inappropriate commentary, and receiving over 20,000 retweets, Twitter quickly labeled the post as “sensitive content,” requiring users to click a button acknowledging that the censored tweet could contain something inappropriate before they were allowed to see the message.
“I can’t believe this. Friends are telling me that Twitter has blocked my tweet below because it contains ‘sensitive content’. Are you kidding me? Twitter – tell me you didn’t do that,” followed up Fleischer, along with a screenshot of the message from Twitter.
I can’t believe this. Friends are telling me that Twitter has blocked my tweet below because it contains “sensitive content”. Are you kidding me? Twitter – tell me you didn’t do that. @jack https://t.co/kSBZCXaX73
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) June 26, 2018
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) June 26, 2018
Twitter has previously marked political content as “sensitive,” most notably several posts from President Donald J. Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and the Drudge Report.
Twitter started experimenting with the practice in early 2017.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington, or like his page at Facebook.
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