Twitter slammed for saying horror death severed head images ‘not against rules’

Social media titan X has come under fiery criticism after it controversially deemed the gruesome images of a fatal accident in Edinburgh’s Cowgate shareable on its platform. In a harrowing incident that shook the city on Saturday night, graphic photographs and footage reported to show a severed head and decapitated body went viral globally, sparking widespread outrage among Scots who encountered the material online and prompting them to lodge formal grievances with X.

Despite the public’s horror and the resulting outcry, X—helmed by business magnate Elon Musk—initially classified the chilling content as compliant with their sensitive media guidelines. Responding to user complaints, X defended its stance through notifications asserting: “Thanks for…using your voice to make X better for everyone. After review, we want to let you know (unidentified twitter user) hasn’t broken our sensitive media rule.”

The statement elaborated: “We allow sensitive content – like consensually produced adult content, graphic imagery and violence – in posts as long as it doesn’t break our sensitive media policy.”

It also advised users: “What can you do? If you don’t want to see sensitive media on X, you can update your sensitive media settings. Please report child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity separately. And if there’s sexual violence in this post, please report it as violent. We have zero tolerance for those kinds of behaviours.”

A woman opened up about her experience on the social media platform, alleging that its “For You” feature inundated her feed with gory footage. She commented: “I reported endless X posts to Twitter, which were repeatedly popping up on my For You page, following the horrendous fatality on Cowgate. I had read the BBC report so the algorithm assumed I wanted to see all the horrendous other content being shared. Just shocking.”

“On the BBC news, the police were asking, on behalf of the family, to report if anyone saw the horrific content on social, so I did, as my twitter feed was covered in the sickening content. I complained to Twitter and this is their response. It is not considered graphic or gratuitous under their community guidelines.”

She continued, expressing her disgust at the platform’s regulation policies: “Clearly anything goes, despite their reporting policy options purporting to include gratuitous and sensitive content. It’s a cesspit.”

After they were contacted concerning the graphic content circulating on their platform, X responded on Monday evening by confirming they had intervened. Despite taking down several explicit videos featuring a severed head from over the weekend, some posts retained stills or blurred images, reports the Daily Record.

X’s spokesperson explained the moderation move, stating: “These posts were actioned under X’s policy regarding Violent Content.”

A harrowing incident shook the heart of Edinburgh when a 74-year-old man was tragically struck by a bus on Cowgate amidst the bustle of Saturday night revelry. Emergency services rushed to the scene after the accident at around 7.25pm, resulting in several road closures.

The aftermath took a disturbing turn as social media users inappropriately circulated distressing images of the event.

Chief Inspector Trisha Clark condemned the insensitivity, declaring on Sunday night: “We are aware of videos and images circulating on social media which are causing distress to the deceased’s family. We would ask members of the public not to share them out of respect for his family and to report them to the relevant social media platform to prevent further circulation.”

The stark reminder of human vulnerability overshadowed online platforms, leading to outcries against the morbid fascination with tragedy.

Appalled individuals voiced their concerns, with comments chastising those who disseminated such content. One person appealed: “Police are saying to delete these immediately as the poor man’s family are seeing them on social media. If you have an ounce of empathy, take it down now @PoliceScotland.”

And another added their voice to the rising clamour: “Those images shared from the Cowgate, Edinburgh reconfirms for me that the social media age is utterly shameful and the worst of times. How people can mock and use that for fun is abhorrent. How far we have fallen.”

Another individual commented: “You should be ashamed of yourself for sharing this.”