Twitter has said that private images or videos shared without their permission are now against its policies and can be removed upon request.

The new rule is an extension of policies to prohibit “doxxing” – the posting of private information such as home addresses, without consent.

Critics say the rule is too broad and could be “used to deliberately stifle free expression on the platform.”

But Twitter said it will consider the context in which the images were posted.

For example, it would consider whether an image was publicly available, on news websites, or “whether a particular image and accompanying tweet text add value to public discourse, are shared in the public interest, or are relevant to the community”. “.

Before removing images or taking enforcement action, Twitter said, he must be informed by “the persons depicted, or an authorized representative, that they have not consented to the sharing of their private image or video.”

Much of the reaction to the initial tweets announcing the new policy was critical.

In subsequent posts, the company said it wants to prevent images and videos from being used to “harass, intimidate and reveal the identity of private individuals, which has a disproportionate impact on women, activists, dissidents and members of minorities.”

Street photographer Nick Turpin said he supported efforts to stop online harassment but is concerned about the impact on those who document the “public realm.”

His work, which is widely exhibited and published, often features private individuals caught in public spaces without obtaining their permission.

Mr. Turpin told BBC News that many of the images currently on his Twitter feed may violate the policy.

“This new Twitter policy is sudden and shocking,” he said.

“Most Twitter users will live in democracies where what happens in a public place is a matter of public domain.

“This is an important principle and many photographers and filmmakers working in the public domain will be immediately affected by this change in policy.

“I see many like me abandoning the platform for other services if we can no longer” report “from the public realm in visual form.”

Twitter stated: “Images / videos showing people attending public events – such as large-scale protests, sporting events, etc. – would generally not violate this policy.”

And “it is not applicable to media featuring public figures or individuals when the media and accompanying tweet text are shared in the public interest or add value to public discourse.”

A public figure could include anyone who has written in the press, elected officials and political leaders, celebrities, senior executives, news outlets and reporters, and other public speakers, Twitter said.

The policy would also not apply to people who are the subject of public conversations online or offline.

But if the intention was to “harass, intimidate, or use fear to silence them, we may remove the content, in line with our policy against abusive behavior.”

Non-consensual posting of nude pictures was also already prohibited.

The company added that recognized users can share images or videos of individuals “in an effort to help someone involved in a crisis situation, such as in the aftermath of a violent event, or as part of a noteworthy event, to because of the public interest value., and this could outweigh a person’s safety risks. “

But the Big Brother Watch campaign group said the policy would be misunderstood and likely abused.

Legal and political officer Mark Johnson told BBC News: “While well-intentioned, Twitter’s new policy is poorly written and too broad.

“It will inevitably result in large areas of online censorship.

“This new rule will be abused and used to deliberately stifle free expression on the platform.”