Twitter has shut off access to 31 accounts that chronicled and archived the deleted tweets of politicians, diplomats and embassies around the world.

The move follows the social network’s earlier blocking of Politwoops US, which archived deleted tweets by American lawmakers.

The Open State Foundation, which oversees the Twitter accounts, was informed by Twitter of the impending ban on Friday night.

In a statement provided to the Open State Foundation, Twitter said its decision followed a “thoughtful internal deliberation and close consideration of a number of factors”.

It added: “Imagine how nerve-racking – terrifying, even – tweeting would be if it was immutable and irrevocable? No one user is more deserving of that ability than another. Indeed, deleting a tweet is an expression of the user’s voice.”

Open State Foundation director, Arjan El Fassed, said: “What elected politicians publicly say is a matter of public record. Even when tweets are deleted, it’s part of parliamentary history. These tweets were once posted and later deleted.

“What politicians say in public should be available to anyone. This is not about typos but it is a unique insight on how messages from elected politicians can change without notice.”

Read the Full Article: Source – The Guardian
Browsing Privacy: (The Guardian) – Twitter blocks access to political transparency organisation Politwoops

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