Twitter temporarily suspends Baltimore politician for ‘excessive tweeting’
Del. Robbyn Lewis, who represents Baltimore, says Twitter kicked her off for violating its rules, but she says she was just posting about public transit
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A Maryland state lawmaker was suspended from her Twitter account for what the application called “excessive” tweeting about use of public transit and climate change, but gave the account back just a day later.
Baltimore Del. Robbyn Lewis said Twitter suspended her account for violating its spam policy with the use of “excessive” hashtags, citing, “prohibiting the misuse of Twitter product features.” A day later after her appeal, Lewis’ account was up and running again, CBS Baltimore reports.
Lewis says she was using the hashtags to get her constituents on board with using public transit on Car Free Day.
Thanks everyone for the ♥️! I’m back! Apparently hashtags about transit & African American women leaders are verboten! I never insult, fight, engage trolls. I just ride the bus & my bike & try to love everyone. Back to work! Srsly thank you all! #FreeAtLast pic.twitter.com/lL8EUXxoLc
— Del. Robbyn Lewis (@RobbynLewis46th) September 27, 2019
But in doing so Lewis, apparently added a barrage of hashtags which Twitter said was used “with an intent to subvert or manipulate a conversation or to drive traffic or attention to accounts, websites, products, services or initiatives,” and “tweeting with excessive, unrelated hashtags in a single tweet or across multiple tweets.”
But Dave Heilker, a candidate for Baltimore City Council wasn’t buying Twitter’s defense of the suspension and instead insinuated that Lewis was racially targeted by the social media platform.
Wtf @twitter why did you suspend #ourdelegate‽ @robbynlewis46th is the first black Delegate to ever represent her district, and ALSO THIS WEBSITE REGULARLY REFUSES TO DEPLATFORM LITERAL NAZIS. Fix this!!
— Dave Heilker (@daveforbmore) September 27, 2019
Also, State Delegate Eric Luedtke demanded Twitter offer a better explanation, saying it is commonplace for politicians to use their social media platform to reach their base.
Yesterday @Twitter suspended the account of one of my colleagues, @RobbynLewis46th. I spoke with Delegate Lewis this morning and they have offered no explanation to her or the public. That’s unacceptable.
— Delegate Eric Luedtke (@EricLuedtke) September 27, 2019
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