Tractor Rally: Twitter Suspends Over 550 Accounts Engaged In Spam & Manipulation

While farmers' tractor rally took an untoward turn, certain terms that violate the rules for trends were blocked by Twitter. Read on.

Representative Image: Getty

New Delhi: Twitter revealed that the microblogging site suspended more than 550 accounts that it believed to be engaged in spam and platform manipulation while the farmers' tractor rally took an untoward turn in the national capital on Republic Day.

Chaotic visuals were seen across the nation as the tractor rally slated to happen on January 26 led to an unexpected clash between protestors and police officials.

A Twitter spokesperson told news agency ANI that the company took strong enforcement action to protect the conversation on the platform from those trying to incite violence, abusing and sending threats that could increase the risk of offline harm. Certain terms that violate the rules for trends were blocked.

"Using a combination of technology and human review, Twitter worked at scale and took action on hundreds of Tweets that have been in violation of the Twitter Rules and suspended more than 550 accounts engaged in spam and platform manipulation," the spokesperson informed.

The Delhi Police had informed on Sunday that 308 Twitter handles were generated from Pakistan to create confusion over the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day.

"Through intelligence and various other agencies, we have continuously been getting inputs regarding a threat to create disturbance in the tractor rally. Nearly 308 Twitter handles have been generated from Pakistan to create confusion," said Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner Police, Intelligence, Delhi Police.

Twitter stated that its team was monitoring the situation closely and was vigilant. The platform also went on to "strongly encourage those on the service to report anything they believe is in violation of the rules."

As per recent reports, 86 policemen were injured in the violence while 1 protestor died on Tuesday amid the tractor march in Delhi. So far, 22 FIRs have been lodged by the Delhi Police in connection with the damages done, officials said on Wednesday.

(With Agency Inputs)