See below for an update.
On Saturday, PJ Media columnist Sean Medlock, who goes by the pseudonym “Jim Treacher,” was again suspended on Twitter. He appealed. On Monday, the site announced that it would not restore his account because he had engaged in “targeted abuse.” Twitter reversed this decision later Monday afternoon.
“Your account has been suspended and will not be restored because it was found to be violating the Twitter Terms of Service, specifically the Twitter Rules against participating in targeted abuse,” a Twitter spokesperson wrote in an email.
“In order to ensure that people feel safe expressing diverse opinions and beliefs on our platform, we do not tolerate abusive behavior. This includes behavior that harasses, intimidates, or uses fear to silence someone else’s voice,” the spokesman added.
So that's it. "Targeted abuse." pic.twitter.com/EAhBCRTyb7
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 4, 2019
Medlock reported that Twitter suspended him on Saturday without giving an explanation as to why.
It sends me to this page. I filed an appeal. There's no indication which rule or rules I've broken. https://t.co/JnFRpz4HHL
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 2, 2019
On Friday, Twitter asked him to delete a year-old tweet likely responding to another tweet about abortion. Medlock had written, “Kill babies,” not as an incitement to violence but as an explanation of what abortion does.
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 2, 2019
Twitter support later told the conservative he was suspended for calling an opponent of Vice President Mike Pence a “stupid liar.” The alleged victim of his “targeted abuse” pointed to a fake quote in which Pence supposedly incited violence.
Just got an e-mail from Twitter Support. I'm suspended for this. People are spreading a lie about Mike Pence, and I pointed out that it was a lie. So now I'm suspended. pic.twitter.com/dteI9SCcRs
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 2, 2019
Medlock explained that the person was indeed lying, and got suspended for it.
This guy called me stupid, and I called him stupid back. He lied about Pence, and I pointed out that he was lying. So now *I'm* suspended.
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 2, 2019
Right before his account was permanently suspended, the conservative writer attacked Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for “pretending to be a different race.”
This was right before my @jtLOL account was suspended. Probably just a coincidence. pic.twitter.com/1C4sdKx1VF
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 4, 2019
Medlock also shared the tweet that “started the whole thing, I guess.” He went on to reiterate that “Mike Pence hasn’t incited violence against anybody. Now my main account has been suspended for daring to say so.”
This was the one that started the whole thing, I guess. Mike Pence hasn't incited violence against anybody. Now my main account has been suspended for daring to say so. pic.twitter.com/oNFTbPAfeT
— Sean Medlock (@Sean_Medlock) February 4, 2019
Last week, Twitter flirted with a policy of banning the phrase “learn to code,” because users were tweeting it at liberal journalists who had recently been fired. This meme came about because many journalists had written articles encouraging coal miners to “learn to code,” displaying a callous indifference when these workers who lost their jobs.
In protest, Medlock had changed his Twitter name to “Learn to code.” Perhaps, in Twitter’s eyes, this proved yet more “evidence” of his “targeted abuse.”
Update 6:10 p.m.: On Monday afternoon, Amber Athey, White House correspondent for the Daily Caller, successfully pressured Twitter into reinstating Medlock’s account. Medlock thanked Athey and updated his Twitter name to “Currently between fraudulent suspensions.”
Thanks to @amber_athey for helping me out again, after yet another completely spurious suspension. I'm getting sick of this crap. https://t.co/1K2e2WiJgL
— It's still 2016 apparently (@jtLOL) February 4, 2019
Follow the author of this article on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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