“Heterophobia”: Twitter withholds my tweet over alleged hate speech
In a rather shocking turn of events, Twitter has withheld my tweet (the email says the whole account) in Germany because my tweet “heteros are bizarre” allegedly goes against German laws on “hate speech and unconstitutional content,” §§ 86, 86a 130 StGB.
Here is what I received from Twitter:
Hello,
We have received a complaint regarding your account, @farhantifa, for the following content: Content ID: 1540711982642470913 Reported Content: Heten sind bizarr! [url] Reported Content URL: https://twitter.com/farhantifa/status/1540711982642470913
In accordance with applicable law and our policies, Twitter is now withholding your account in Germany, specifically for sections of German law related to hate speech or unconstitutional content, §§ 86, 86a 130 StGB. For more information on our Country Withheld Content policy, please see this page: https://support.twitter.com/articles/20169222.
Sincerely,
What’s the tweet in question?
Heten sind bizarr! https://t.co/9MYwK8tffK
— Postmigration.de (@postmigration) June 25, 2022
And if you’re in Germany, you’d be seeing this withholding notice instead of the tweet:
My comment tweet “heteros are bizarre” was over a tweet from another user. Here are translations of what is being said:
Bild tabloid’s clickbait story image reads:
“Addressing an alleged taboo. How do I tell my wife that I fantacise about “Po-Sex” (anal sex).”
Po is in German is slang for butt.
The tweep who posted this image posted along with caption “kindly meant advice: DON’T call it Po-Sex”
And my tweet “heteros are bizarre” was a comment on that tweet but someone got so triggered by it that they decided to invoke Germany’s hate speech and unconstitutional content laws. Karen much?
I’m so shocked at this that I don’t even know what to say other than what the actual f***! I mean German Twitter is filled with so much hate especially for Blacks, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPoC) as well as the LGBTQIA+ community and despite reporting, Twitter does nothing. It’s a hell to be there as a Person of Color, a trans person or a queer person on the German Twitter. And nothing. One “heteros are bizarre” and even Twitter Germany got triggered into withholding my account.
Editor’s note: This really happened and is not a satire.