Twitter bans hateful language targeting religious groups

Twitter on Tuesday said it's updated its rules against hateful conduct to ban language that "dehumanizes" people because of their religion. Tweets that go against the new policy will be taken down, the company said.

Tweets posted before the new rule will have to be deleted if reported, Twitter said, but the account won't be suspended because they were sent before the policy was in place. 

Twitter asked for user feedback about its hateful-conduct policy last year and received more than 8,000 responses from people in over 30 countries. Many people asked the company to use clearer language when defining policy violations and to be more consistent in its enforcement of the rules. 

There are still areas Twitter is working to better understand before it expands its rules to protect other groups. That includes how to "protect conversations people have within marginalized groups, including those using reclaimed terminology," and ensuring enforcement actions take context into account and are proportionate. 

Last month, Twitter simplified its rules to emphasize safety, privacy and authenticity. The updated rules include examples and detailed instructions on how to report a tweet. The company also said earlier this year that it's now using technology to identify abusive tweets before users report them. 

Twitter, along with other social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, has grappled with hate speech and misinformation on its platform. Last year it banned Tommy Robinson, founder of the far-right English Defence League, and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.