Twitter suspended the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody) account, which poked fun at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Conservative and right-wing Twitter users pointed out the account, which had tens of thousands of followers and was marked “parody,” was suspended late Monday evening. An email from Twitter to the man believed to be running the account, Michael Morrison, said it was “permanently suspended” for being too similar to Ocasio-Cortez’s account.
“You may not register or create fake and misleading accounts. While you may use Twitter pseudonymously or as a parody, commentary, or fan account, you may not use misleading account information in order to engage in spamming, abusive, or disruptive behavior including attempts to manipulate the conversations on Twitter,” said the email, which was shared on Twitter. “You also may not ‘post duplicative or substantially similar content, replies, or mentions over multiple accounts or multiple duplicate updates on one account, or create duplicate or substantially similar accounts.’ This account will not be reinstated,”
.@OfficeOfMike has confirmed to me that he has been PERMANENTLY suspended from Twitter.
He also ran the @AOCpress account which is also permanently suspended.
Twitter claims he violated the rules with creating @AOCpress even though it clearly stated it was a parody account pic.twitter.com/ecMopPfE4w
— Courtney Holland 🇺🇸 (@hollandcourtney) May 7, 2019
.@OfficeOfMike has confirmed to me that he has been PERMANENTLY suspended from Twitter.
He also ran the @AOCpress account which is also permanently suspended.
Twitter claims he violated the rules with creating @AOCpress even though it clearly stated it was a parody account pic.twitter.com/ecMopPfE4w
— Courtney Holland 🇺🇸 (@hollandcourtney) May 7, 2019
Morrison’s personal account was also suspended Monday. Conservatives were quick to call out the suspension by Twitter.
Twitter suspends @AOCPress and Orthodox Jew Michael Morrison https://t.co/8JwCaWkBCi
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) May 7, 2019
BREAKING on @HumanEvents:
Michael Morrison (@OfficeOfMike), manager of the @aocpress parody account, PERMANENTLY SUSPENDED@sicarbone_ has the story
‘AOC Press’ Parody Killed in Latest Big Tech Election Interference. https://t.co/CKGUSsEevj
— Will Chamberlain 🇺🇸 (@willchamberlain) May 7, 2019
The ban follows suspensions and bans on media platforms by several prominent right-wing figures including Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson, James Woods, and Laura Loomer.
President Trump said he is monitoring the ban on conservatives by the social media platforms.
“I am continuing to monitor the censorship of AMERICAN CITIZENS on social media platforms. This is the United States of America — and we have what’s known as FREEDOM OF SPEECH! We are monitoring and watching, closely!!” Trump said on Twitter Friday.
I am continuing to monitor the censorship of AMERICAN CITIZENS on social media platforms. This is the United States of America — and we have what’s known as FREEDOM OF SPEECH! We are monitoring and watching, closely!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2019
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is Trump’s lawyer, also expressed his dismay with the Ocasio-Cortez parody suspension on Monday. “AOC Press’ Parody Killed in Latest Big Tech Election Interference. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO FREE SPEECH? THIS IS CENSORSHIP!” he tweeted.
Story cited here.
