Twitter bans ‘dehumanizing’ posts toward religious groups

SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter now prohibits hate speech that targets religious groups by using dehumanizing language, a ban it says may be extended to other categories like race and gender.

The social network already bars hateful language directed at individual religious adherents. It also bans hate speech on the basis of someone’s race, gender and other categories. Tuesday’s change broadens the hate speech rule to forbid likening entire religious groups to subhumans or vermin, without targeting a specific individual.

Twitter, along with YouTube and Facebook, has been under fire for the prevalence of harassment and hate on its service. Twitter’s latest update came after users wrote in thousands of responses when the company asked for suggestions on how to expand its hate speech policies.

The company says it may also ban similar language aimed at other groups such as those defined by gender, race and sexual orientation, but it has not done so yet, sparking criticism from civil rights groups.

— AP