Conservative writer Devin Sena tweeted a picture Saturday of a healthy unborn baby with the caption: “This is a human.” He added the hashtag “TriggerALiberalIn4Words.”
Twitter chose to suppress the factually accurate tweet as “sensitive material” and warned certain users before they saw it.
Before Twitter censorship (Screenshot/Twitter)
After censorship (Screenshot/Twitter)
“Upon review, we have determined that the media is potentially sensitive and have labeled it accordingly. There will now be a click-through warning message over the media for users whose accounts are set so they are informed before viewing media that may be sensitive,” Twitter said in an email to Sena that was reviewed by The Daily Caller News Foundation.
The email warned that all of Sena’s future tweets could be permanently suppressed in a similar manner if he didn’t self-censor in the future.
Twitter has consistently censored pro-lifers who use the platform to raise awareness on behalf of unborn babies. The tech giant in February barred pro-life group Human Coalition from advertising three pro-life tweets:
Twitter is currently barring Human Coalition from advertising this tweet (Photo: Human Coalition)
Pro-life tweet barred from advertisement on Twitter (Photo: Human Coalition)
One massive corporation (Twitter) censoring criticism of another massive corporation (Planned Parenthood) (Photo: Human Coalition)
Twitter removed the three Human Coalition ads just three hours after they went up, the group said. Human Coalition re-submitted the three ads to Twitter on Monday. They have yet to be approved.
Other pro-life groups have battled similar suppression from Twitter, which did not return TheDCNF’s request for comment.
Pro-life group Live Action cried foul in 2017 after Twitter demanded it delete pro-life images, such as fetal ultrasounds, from its Twitter feed and website before allowing the group to run advertisements. Live Action refused the request.
Another pro-life group, the Susan B. Anthony List, was barred in October from running a video advertisement, because it used the phrase “killing babies” to refer to abortion. “No advertiser is permitted to use the phrase ‘killing babies,'” Twitter told the group.
That same month, Twitter blocked an advertisement by Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s campaign for Senate in Tennessee. Twitter objected to one line Blackburn said: “I’m 100% pro-life. I fought Planned Parenthood, and we stopped the sale of baby body parts –thank God.” (RELATED: Planned Parenthood Partners Admit To Liability For Selling Baby Parts)
The tech giant demanded that Blackburn remove the reference to Planned Parenthood selling baby parts, but she refused and went on the offensive instead, demanding Twitter apologize for censoring her. Twitter reversed course after the ensuing backlash and allowed Blackburn to run the ad.
Blackburn’s experience suggests conservatives might — with enough pressure — be able to shame Twitter into softening its censorship of pro-life messages.
Follow Hasson on Twitter @PeterJHasson
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