‘Milkshake Them All’: Does This Statement Violate Twitter Policy?
Journalist Carlos Maza’s tweets encouraging people to throw milkshakes at those who have different political beliefs do not violate Twitter policies, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Maza, a journalist at Vox, tweeted that people should “milkshake them all, humiliate them at every turn” on May 21 with a photo describing milkshaking and a link to an article about a conservative politician in Britain being milkshaked.
https://twitter.com/gaywonk/status/1130862813713502210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Conservative journalist Andy Ngo was attacked Saturday afternoon during an Antifa rally. He had milkshakes thrown at him that may have been mixed with cement , according to a tweet from the Portland police, and sustained injuries from blows to the face.
The attack resulted in Ngo being hospitalized overnight with a reported brain bleed, but Maza’s tweet is not a violation of Twitter policies, a person familiar with the matter told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Maza’s tweet includes a photo which describes milkshaking as “violence.”
“The Tweet is not in violation of the Twitter Rules,” a person familiar with the matter told the DCNF.
Twitter has previously suspended accounts that ring similar to Maza’s tweet. Conservative host Alex Jones was banned from Twitter for a post which read “Get their battle rifles ready.” The tweet was an incite to violence according to Twitter, ABC7 reported.
Conservative James Wood was also temporarily suspended from Twitter for tweeting “If you try to kill the King, you better not miss. #HangThemAll.” His account was suspended for “abusive behavior,” the Daily Wire reported. Wood was previously suspended for making a joke about a fake meme, which he allegedly acknowledged was most likely false in the tweet.
“You may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so,” according to Twitter policies. “This includes wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm.”
Another Twitter rule states that “You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people.” It reads that “We also prohibit the glorification of violence.”
Twitter reads that threats are defined “as statements of an intent to kill or inflict serious physical harm on a specific person or group of people.”
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted Sunday that it was “troubling” for “journalists” to incite violence “against those with whom they disagree.” He was referring to Maza’s tweet, according to a photo shared with the tweet.
Troubling, if true. Should “journalists” be inciting physical violence against those with whom they disagree? Calling for assaults with milkshakes apparently laced with quick-dry cement? Is that consistent with journalistic ethics or responsibility? Or the criminal code? https://t.co/A07icUZYGM
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 30, 2019
Maza’s tweet does not violate the Twitter policy of inciting violence or “wishing…someone experiences physical harm,” although similar tweets have fit that policy.
The person familiar with this matter did not have anything further to share at the time when asked how Maza’s tweet does not violate Twitter policies.
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