Twitter Tries to Block Images of James Foley Killing

Advertisement
By Associated Press | Updated: 30 August 2014 09:11 IST
Twitter Tries to Block Images of James Foley Killing

Twitter and some other social media outlets are trying to block the spread of gruesome images of the beheading of journalist James Foley by Islamic State militants, while a movement to deny his killers publicity is also gaining momentum.

In a Tweet, CEO Dick Costolo said his company "is actively suspending accounts as we discover them related to this graphic imagery," and he gave a link to a New York Times story about Foley's killing.

Twitter spokesman Nu Wexler on Wednesday confirmed Costolo's Tweet, which was published late Tuesday California time, and referred further questions to a company policy page. Twitter allows immediate family members of someone who dies to request image removals, although the company weighs public interest against privacy concerns.

Twitter users who oppose spreading the images are using the trending hashtag #ISISMediaBlackout.

Advertisement

However, preventing links to the images has not had universal success.

(Also See: Twitter to Remove Images of Deceased at Request of Family Members)

By mid-afternoon in Europe on Wednesday, Tweets could still be found linking directly to the footage on some video sharing sites, such as Vimeo.

Advertisement

Vimeo could not be immediately reached for comment.

On YouTube, which is owned by Google, the video was reportedly posted for some period of time Tuesday before being removed. By Wednesday afternoon in Europe, searches for the incident mainly turned up links to news reports of Foley's slaying. Some included original footage from the video, but left out shots of the act of killing.

Advertisement

Google and YouTube could not immediately be reached for comment.

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement
Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Oppo Reno 14 Pro 5G Series Set to Launch in India on This Date
  2. Nothing Phone 3 Surfaces on Geekbench Ahead of Launch on July 1
  3. Motorola Teases New Phone Launch in India; Could Be the Moto G96 5G
  4. Vivo X Fold 5 With Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, 6,000mAh Battery Launched
  5. Vivo TWS Air 3 Pro With Up to 47 Hours Total Battery Life Launched
  6. Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite 2 SoC for Galaxy S26 May Be Made by Samsung
  7. Google's New Change for Gemini Turns Out to Not Be a Privacy Concern
  8. You Can Now Code in the Terminal With Google's Free Gemini CLI Tool
  9. Samsung Smart Monitor M9 Launched Alongside Updated M8 and M7 Models
  10. Amazon's Ring Now Uses AI to Inform Users About Activities at Their Homes
  1. Amazon’s Ring Introduces AI-Powered Video Descriptions, Sends Users Quick Updates About Their Homes
  2. Sony Bravia 5 Series 4K Mini LED TVs With Up to 85-Inch Screen Launched: Price in India, Features
  3. Gemini on Android Will Soon Connect to Apps Even If User Disables Activity Logs, Won’t Affect Privacy
  4. Qualcomm May Use Samsung Foundry to Produce Different Variants of Snapdragon Elite 2 SoC for Galaxy S26 Series
  5. Oppo Reno 14 Pro 5G, Reno 14 5G India Launch Date Revealed; Specifications Teased
  6. Vivo TWS Air 3 Pro With ANC, Up to 47 Hours Total Battery Life Launched: Price, Features
  7. PS Plus Monthly Games for July Include Diablo IV, the King of Fighters XV and Jusant
  8. Microsoft Sued by Authors Over Use of Books in AI Training
  9. Tecno Pova 7 5G Series India Launch Set for July 4; Rear Design Teased
  10. OnePlus Expands Doorstep Pickup and Drop Service for Repairs to More Cities in India
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.