Twitter has removed a feature called #ThereIsHelp, which promoted suicide prevention hotlines and other safety resources to users looking up certain content, according to sources who said the move was ordered by new owner Elon Musk. The feature had shown contacts for support organizations in many countries related to mental health, HIV, vaccines, child sexual exploitation, COVID-19, gender-based violence, natural disasters, and freedom of expression at the top of specific searches. Its removal has led to increased concerns about the well-being of vulnerable users on Twitter. Twitter’s head of trust and safety, Ella Irwin, said the feature had been temporarily removed while the company “fix[ed] and revamp[ed]” it and expected to have it back up next week.
According to sources with knowledge of the matter, Twitter removed a feature called #ThereIsHelp, which promoted suicide prevention hotlines and other safety resources to users looking up certain content, after it was ordered by new owner Elon Musk. The feature had shown contacts for support organizations in many countries related to mental health, HIV, vaccines, child sexual exploitation, COVID-19, gender-based violence, natural disasters, and freedom of expression at the top of specific searches. Its removal has led to increased concerns about the well-being of vulnerable users on Twitter.
Twitter’s head of trust and safety, Ella Irwin, stated that the feature had been temporarily removed while the company “fix[ed] and revamp[ed]” it, and that it would be restored next week. However, the removal of the feature has caused concerns among some users and organizations that were promoted through it, such as AIDS United and the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network.
There have also been concerns raised about the overall direction of Twitter under Musk’s ownership, as he has claimed that impressions of harmful content are declining on the platform, while researchers and civil rights groups have documented an increase in tweets with racial slurs and other hateful content. In the past, internet services like Twitter, Google, and Facebook have attempted to direct users to well-known resource providers, such as government hotlines, when they suspect someone may be in danger.
