Twitter won't block world leaders or delete their messages
Twitter said Friday it has no plans to block world leaders from its social media site or delete any of their controversial posts because any such action would “hide important information” from people. “Twitter is here to serve and help advance the global, public conversation,” the company, which has an estimated 330 million active users, said in a blog post. “Elected world leaders play a critical role in that conversation because of their outsized impact on our society.” The social media tech giant -- which allows users to send relatively short text messages, photos and similar graphics to “followers” -- said, “Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate. It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions.” Twitter’s comments come after a swell of outrage seemingly center on President Trump, who had used the so-called “micro-blogging” medium to effectively sidestep the mainstream media and get his messages out. Throughout his presidential campaign and into the first year of his administration, Trump’s messages have occasionally included language that has sparked widespread criticism from mainstream media and Democrats, like calling North Korea leader Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” or rival Hillary Clinton “crooked Hillary.” In its post, Twitter did not specifically cite Trump in the blog post. The social media giant recently updated its “unlawful conduct or harassment” policy, saying such posts will result in users being banned. “We review tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce our rules accordingly. No one person's account drives Twitter’s growth, or influences these decisions,” the company said in the post. “We are working to make Twitter the best place to see and freely discuss everything that matters.”
AP PHOTOS: World celebrates Epiphany with icy dips, parades
Updated 12:05 pm, Saturday, January 6, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-15', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 15', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-20', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 20', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-23', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 23', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis, AP Image 1 of 23 People parade through the streets as part of celebrations of Three Kings Day in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Epiphany, the 12th night of Christmas, marks the day the three wise men visited Christ. less People parade through the streets as part of celebrations of Three Kings Day in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Epiphany, the 12th night of Christmas, marks the day the three wise men visited ... more Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis, AP Image 2 of 23 Actors representing Mary and Joseph walk in Warsaw's annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Actors representing Mary and Joseph walk in Warsaw's annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Photo: Czarek Sokolowski, AP Image 3 of 23 Warsaw residents taking part in the annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Warsaw residents taking part in the annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Photo: Czarek Sokolowski, AP Image 4 of 23 Nicolaos Solis from Greece holds up the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. less Nicolaos Solis from Greece holds up the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, ... more Photo: Emrah Gurel, AP Image 5 of 23 Image 6 of 23 Nicolaos Solis from Greece kisses the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. less Nicolaos Solis from Greece kisses the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, ... more Photo: Emrah Gurel, AP Image 7 of 23 Angelos Filoxenidis, center, raises a cross retrieved from the sea during a water blessing ceremony marking the Epiphany celebrations in the Paleo Faliro suburb, southern Athens, Greece, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Similar ceremonies marking Epiphany were held across Greece on river banks, seafronts and lakes, where Orthodox priests throw a cross into the water and swimmers race to retrieve it. less Angelos Filoxenidis, center, raises a cross retrieved from the sea during a water blessing ceremony marking the Epiphany celebrations in the Paleo Faliro suburb, southern Athens, Greece, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. ... more Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis, AP Image 8 of 23 Polar swimmers take part in the traditional Three Kings swim in the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Prague castle is in the background. Polar swimmers take part in the traditional Three Kings swim in the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Prague castle is in the background. Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 9 of 23 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, center, conducts a mass at the Patriarchate's church prior to the traditional throwing of a wooden cross into the waters during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. less Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, center, conducts a mass at the Patriarchate's church prior to the traditional throwing of a wooden cross into the ... more Photo: Emrah Gurel, AP Image 10 of 23 Image 11 of 23 Pope Francis incenses the altar as he celebrates an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Francis, in a homily Saturday to mark Epiphany, said people are “often make do” with having “health, a little money and a bit of entertainment.” less Pope Francis incenses the altar as he celebrates an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Francis, in a homily Saturday to mark Epiphany, said people are “often make ... more Photo: Andrew Medichini, AP Image 12 of 23 Pope Francis kisses a statue of the Divine Infant as he arrives to celebrate an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Pope Francis kisses a statue of the Divine Infant as he arrives to celebrate an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Photo: Andrew Medichini, AP Image 13 of 23 A priest blesses horses before the traditional Epiphany celebration horse race in Pietrosani, Romania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. According to the local Epiphany traditions, following a religious service, villagers have their horses blessed with holy water then compete in a race. less A priest blesses horses before the traditional Epiphany celebration horse race in Pietrosani, Romania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. According to the local Epiphany traditions, following a religious service, ... more Photo: Vadim Ghirda, AP Image 14 of 23 EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girls is carried by one of Tree King during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) the day before Epiphany, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The parade symbolizes the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem following the birth of Jesus, marked in Spain and many Latin American countries Epiphany is the day when gifts are exchanged. less EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girls is carried by one of Tree King during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) ... more Photo: Alvaro Barrientos, AP Image 15 of 23 Image 16 of 23 EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girl displays a crown taking part during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) the day before Epiphany, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The parade symbolizes the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem following the birth of Jesus, marked in Spain and many Latin American countries Epiphany is the day when gifts are exchanged. less EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girl displays a crown taking part during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) ... more Photo: Alvaro Barrientos, AP Image 17 of 23 Men dressed as the Three Kings ride on camels during a procession of the Three Kings across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of the Christmas festivities in Prague, is a re-enactment of the journey of the Three Kings to visit the infant Jesus. Prague Castle is in the background. less Men dressed as the Three Kings ride on camels during a procession of the Three Kings across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of ... more Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 18 of 23 A man takes a photo of a procession of the Three Kings marching across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of the Christmas festivities in Prague, is a re-enactment of the journey of the Three Kings to visit the infant Jesus. less A man takes a photo of a procession of the Three Kings marching across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of the Christmas ... more Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 19 of 23 Performance artist Roberto Martinez Perez, dressed as one of the Three Kings, reads a newspaper while waiting for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center of Mexico City, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. In Mexico, it is customary for people to give gifts on Three Kings Day also known as the Epiphany, commemorated on Jan. 6. According to Christian tradition, Jan. 6 marks the arrival of three wise men bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. less Performance artist Roberto Martinez Perez, dressed as one of the Three Kings, reads a newspaper while waiting for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center ... more Photo: Rebecca Blackwell, AP Image 20 of 23 Image 21 of 23 Performance artist David Antonio Lopez De La Fuente Campos, dressed as one of the Three Kings, waits for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center of Mexico City, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. In Mexico, it is customary for people to give gifts on Three Kings Day also known as the Epiphany, commemorated on Jan. 6. According to Christian tradition, Jan. 6 marks the arrival of three wise men bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. less Performance artist David Antonio Lopez De La Fuente Campos, dressed as one of the Three Kings, waits for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center of Mexico ... more Photo: Rebecca Blackwell, AP Image 22 of 23 An assistant rings a bell to get children to look toward the camera as a family poses for photographs with performers dressed as the Three Kings on an elaborate set at a fair in Mexico City, Friday, on Jan. 5, 2018, the eve of the Epiphany. In Mexico, it is customary for people to give gifts on Three Kings Day also known as the Epiphany, commemorated on Jan. 6. According to Christian tradition, Jan. 6 marks the arrival of three wise men bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. less An assistant rings a bell to get children to look toward the camera as a family poses for photographs with performers dressed as the Three Kings on an elaborate set at a fair in Mexico City, Friday, on Jan. 5, ... more Photo: Rebecca Blackwell, AP Image 23 of 23 AP PHOTOS: World celebrates Epiphany with icy dips, parades 1 / 23 Back to Gallery ISTANBUL (AP) — Icy dips in the sea. Parades with camels, kings and crowns. Presents for homeless children and admonishments to live a better life. All this took place Saturday as Christians around the world celebrated the holiday of Epiphany, which recalls the three kings, or magi, who reportedly followed a star to find the baby Jesus. The date — Jan. 6 — is commonly known as "Day of the Magi" in Latin America and it's when children traditionally unwrap holiday gifts rather than on Christmas Day. It's also known as "Three Kings Day" as well as Epiphany. Pope Francis, during a homily at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, asked "what star we have chosen to follow in our lives?" He urged people not to make the pursuit of money, a career or success the basis for their whole life but to help those in need instead. In Istanbul, the Greek Orthodox Christian community celebrated Epiphany with a traditional blessing in which a cross is tossed into the water and retrieved by swimmers. Epiphany parades filled the streets of several nations, including Spain, Lithuania and Poland, where parents and children wearing paper crowns marched with performers in costume.
Twitter says Trump, other world leaders can tweet what they want
Getty Images Twitter isn't going to put a leash on President Donald Trump. The social network said in a blog post Friday that it won't block or remove controversial tweets from world leaders and elected officials, even when they otherwise break the site's rules. Censoring them "would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," the company wrote in an unsigned blog post. Twitter added that removing their tweets "would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions." Twitter critic Alan Marling has projected this image outside of the company's San Francisco headquarters for weeks. On Friday Twitter said world leaders can tweet what they want. Alan Marling The statement marks Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's latest attempt to balance the occasionally incendiary way that high-profile people use its service and the site's strict community standards covering what content can and can't be posted. The most clear-cut example of this tension is Trump, whose sometimes inflammatory tweets have ignited debate about the consistency with which the company enforces The Twitter Rules that ban abusive behavior like targeted harassment and death threats. The move reinforces a similar statement made in late September after Twitter came under fire for not removing a series of controversial Trump tweets that threatened North Korea. Officials in the isolated country interpreted them as a "declaration of war." In a series of tweets at the time, Twitter said the newsworthiness of the tweet and the tweeter, as well as whether it's in the public interest, are all taken into consideration when deciding whether to delete material. "We hold all accounts to the same rules, and consider a number of factors when assessing whether tweets violate our rules," the company tweeted. "Among the considerations is 'newsworthiness' and whether a tweet is of public interest.'" Twitter declined to comment further Friday. The White House didn't respond to a request for comment. Jennifer Grygiel, a social media expert and professor at Syracuse University, said Friday's blog post was all about one person: Trump. Since joining Twitter in March 2009, Trump has posted more than 35,000 tweets. And since becoming president a year ago, Trump has tweeted more than 2,400 times to criticize US' allies and adversaries, the FBI and Justice Department and NFL players protesting police treatment of African Americans by kneeling during the national anthem, according to tweet-counter.com. "There's been such outcry over his Twitter handle and whether he violates their rules," Grygiel said. "This is literally being addressed because of his tweets and the reaction he gets." Still, Grygiel cautioned that Twitter may have opened itself up to new scrutiny because it didn't clarify how it defined a world leader. She noted that many people considered leaders aren't elected or formally in the government. Trump's controversial Twitter habits extend beyond what he says. The president, who tweets using his personal account rather than the White House's official POTUS account, has also blocked people who criticize him. That's led to a lawsuit on the grounds that the US Constitution's First Amendment allows people unfettered rights to petition their government. One critic was disappointed with Twitter's position. Alan Marling, an artist who has more than 16,000 followers on Twitter and has spent several evenings in the past year with his projector beaming his critical commentaries onto the outside walls of Twitter's San Francisco headquarters, said Friday, "Today, Twitter gave us their answer." He then recalled of the more recent commentaries he projected that asked: "Would Twitter Ban Hitler?" Earlier Friday, Twitter said it reviews tweets "by leaders within the political context that defines them" and will enforce its rules as they see fit. "We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind," the company said. "No one No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions." First published Jan. 5, 1:26 p.m. PT.Update, 6:05 p.m.: Adds comments from a Twitter critic and background. iHate: CNET looks at how intolerance is taking over the internet. CNET Magazine: Check out a sample of the stories in CNET's newsstand edition.
Twitter said Friday it has no plans to block world leaders from its social media site or delete any of their controversial posts because any such action would “hide important information” from people. “Twitter is here to serve and help advance the global, public conversation,” the company, which has an estimated 330 million active users, said in a blog post. “Elected world leaders play a critical role in that conversation because of their outsized impact on our society.” The social media tech giant -- which allows users to send relatively short text messages, photos and similar graphics to “followers” -- said, “Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate. It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions.” Twitter’s comments come after a swell of outrage seemingly center on President Trump, who had used the so-called “micro-blogging” medium to effectively sidestep the mainstream media and get his messages out. Throughout his presidential campaign and into the first year of his administration, Trump’s messages have occasionally included language that has sparked widespread criticism from mainstream media and Democrats, like calling North Korea leader Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” or rival Hillary Clinton “crooked Hillary.” In its post, Twitter did not specifically cite Trump in the blog post. The social media giant recently updated its “unlawful conduct or harassment” policy, saying such posts will result in users being banned. “We review tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce our rules accordingly. No one person's account drives Twitter’s growth, or influences these decisions,” the company said in the post. “We are working to make Twitter the best place to see and freely discuss everything that matters.”
AP PHOTOS: World celebrates Epiphany with icy dips, parades
Updated 12:05 pm, Saturday, January 6, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-15', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 15', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-20', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 20', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-23', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 23', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis, AP Image 1 of 23 People parade through the streets as part of celebrations of Three Kings Day in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Epiphany, the 12th night of Christmas, marks the day the three wise men visited Christ. less People parade through the streets as part of celebrations of Three Kings Day in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Epiphany, the 12th night of Christmas, marks the day the three wise men visited ... more Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis, AP Image 2 of 23 Actors representing Mary and Joseph walk in Warsaw's annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Actors representing Mary and Joseph walk in Warsaw's annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Photo: Czarek Sokolowski, AP Image 3 of 23 Warsaw residents taking part in the annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Warsaw residents taking part in the annual Epiphany procession in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Photo: Czarek Sokolowski, AP Image 4 of 23 Nicolaos Solis from Greece holds up the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. less Nicolaos Solis from Greece holds up the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, ... more Photo: Emrah Gurel, AP Image 5 of 23 Image 6 of 23 Nicolaos Solis from Greece kisses the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. less Nicolaos Solis from Greece kisses the wooden cross which was thrown into the waters by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, ... more Photo: Emrah Gurel, AP Image 7 of 23 Angelos Filoxenidis, center, raises a cross retrieved from the sea during a water blessing ceremony marking the Epiphany celebrations in the Paleo Faliro suburb, southern Athens, Greece, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Similar ceremonies marking Epiphany were held across Greece on river banks, seafronts and lakes, where Orthodox priests throw a cross into the water and swimmers race to retrieve it. less Angelos Filoxenidis, center, raises a cross retrieved from the sea during a water blessing ceremony marking the Epiphany celebrations in the Paleo Faliro suburb, southern Athens, Greece, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. ... more Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis, AP Image 8 of 23 Polar swimmers take part in the traditional Three Kings swim in the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Prague castle is in the background. Polar swimmers take part in the traditional Three Kings swim in the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Prague castle is in the background. Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 9 of 23 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, center, conducts a mass at the Patriarchate's church prior to the traditional throwing of a wooden cross into the waters during the Epiphany ceremony to bless the waters at the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. less Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, center, conducts a mass at the Patriarchate's church prior to the traditional throwing of a wooden cross into the ... more Photo: Emrah Gurel, AP Image 10 of 23 Image 11 of 23 Pope Francis incenses the altar as he celebrates an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Francis, in a homily Saturday to mark Epiphany, said people are “often make do” with having “health, a little money and a bit of entertainment.” less Pope Francis incenses the altar as he celebrates an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Francis, in a homily Saturday to mark Epiphany, said people are “often make ... more Photo: Andrew Medichini, AP Image 12 of 23 Pope Francis kisses a statue of the Divine Infant as he arrives to celebrate an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Pope Francis kisses a statue of the Divine Infant as he arrives to celebrate an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Photo: Andrew Medichini, AP Image 13 of 23 A priest blesses horses before the traditional Epiphany celebration horse race in Pietrosani, Romania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. According to the local Epiphany traditions, following a religious service, villagers have their horses blessed with holy water then compete in a race. less A priest blesses horses before the traditional Epiphany celebration horse race in Pietrosani, Romania, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. According to the local Epiphany traditions, following a religious service, ... more Photo: Vadim Ghirda, AP Image 14 of 23 EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girls is carried by one of Tree King during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) the day before Epiphany, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The parade symbolizes the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem following the birth of Jesus, marked in Spain and many Latin American countries Epiphany is the day when gifts are exchanged. less EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girls is carried by one of Tree King during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) ... more Photo: Alvaro Barrientos, AP Image 15 of 23 Image 16 of 23 EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girl displays a crown taking part during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) the day before Epiphany, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The parade symbolizes the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem following the birth of Jesus, marked in Spain and many Latin American countries Epiphany is the day when gifts are exchanged. less EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN. A young girl displays a crown taking part during The Cabalgata Los Reyes Magos (Cavalcade of the three kings) ... more Photo: Alvaro Barrientos, AP Image 17 of 23 Men dressed as the Three Kings ride on camels during a procession of the Three Kings across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of the Christmas festivities in Prague, is a re-enactment of the journey of the Three Kings to visit the infant Jesus. Prague Castle is in the background. less Men dressed as the Three Kings ride on camels during a procession of the Three Kings across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of ... more Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 18 of 23 A man takes a photo of a procession of the Three Kings marching across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of the Christmas festivities in Prague, is a re-enactment of the journey of the Three Kings to visit the infant Jesus. less A man takes a photo of a procession of the Three Kings marching across the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The procession, which annually marks the end of the Christmas ... more Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 19 of 23 Performance artist Roberto Martinez Perez, dressed as one of the Three Kings, reads a newspaper while waiting for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center of Mexico City, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. In Mexico, it is customary for people to give gifts on Three Kings Day also known as the Epiphany, commemorated on Jan. 6. According to Christian tradition, Jan. 6 marks the arrival of three wise men bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. less Performance artist Roberto Martinez Perez, dressed as one of the Three Kings, reads a newspaper while waiting for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center ... more Photo: Rebecca Blackwell, AP Image 20 of 23 Image 21 of 23 Performance artist David Antonio Lopez De La Fuente Campos, dressed as one of the Three Kings, waits for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center of Mexico City, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. In Mexico, it is customary for people to give gifts on Three Kings Day also known as the Epiphany, commemorated on Jan. 6. According to Christian tradition, Jan. 6 marks the arrival of three wise men bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. less Performance artist David Antonio Lopez De La Fuente Campos, dressed as one of the Three Kings, waits for families wanting to pose for souvenir photos on the eve of the Epiphany, in the historic center of Mexico ... more Photo: Rebecca Blackwell, AP Image 22 of 23 An assistant rings a bell to get children to look toward the camera as a family poses for photographs with performers dressed as the Three Kings on an elaborate set at a fair in Mexico City, Friday, on Jan. 5, 2018, the eve of the Epiphany. In Mexico, it is customary for people to give gifts on Three Kings Day also known as the Epiphany, commemorated on Jan. 6. According to Christian tradition, Jan. 6 marks the arrival of three wise men bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. less An assistant rings a bell to get children to look toward the camera as a family poses for photographs with performers dressed as the Three Kings on an elaborate set at a fair in Mexico City, Friday, on Jan. 5, ... more Photo: Rebecca Blackwell, AP Image 23 of 23 AP PHOTOS: World celebrates Epiphany with icy dips, parades 1 / 23 Back to Gallery ISTANBUL (AP) — Icy dips in the sea. Parades with camels, kings and crowns. Presents for homeless children and admonishments to live a better life. All this took place Saturday as Christians around the world celebrated the holiday of Epiphany, which recalls the three kings, or magi, who reportedly followed a star to find the baby Jesus. The date — Jan. 6 — is commonly known as "Day of the Magi" in Latin America and it's when children traditionally unwrap holiday gifts rather than on Christmas Day. It's also known as "Three Kings Day" as well as Epiphany. Pope Francis, during a homily at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, asked "what star we have chosen to follow in our lives?" He urged people not to make the pursuit of money, a career or success the basis for their whole life but to help those in need instead. In Istanbul, the Greek Orthodox Christian community celebrated Epiphany with a traditional blessing in which a cross is tossed into the water and retrieved by swimmers. Epiphany parades filled the streets of several nations, including Spain, Lithuania and Poland, where parents and children wearing paper crowns marched with performers in costume.
Twitter says Trump, other world leaders can tweet what they want
Getty Images Twitter isn't going to put a leash on President Donald Trump. The social network said in a blog post Friday that it won't block or remove controversial tweets from world leaders and elected officials, even when they otherwise break the site's rules. Censoring them "would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," the company wrote in an unsigned blog post. Twitter added that removing their tweets "would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions." Twitter critic Alan Marling has projected this image outside of the company's San Francisco headquarters for weeks. On Friday Twitter said world leaders can tweet what they want. Alan Marling The statement marks Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's latest attempt to balance the occasionally incendiary way that high-profile people use its service and the site's strict community standards covering what content can and can't be posted. The most clear-cut example of this tension is Trump, whose sometimes inflammatory tweets have ignited debate about the consistency with which the company enforces The Twitter Rules that ban abusive behavior like targeted harassment and death threats. The move reinforces a similar statement made in late September after Twitter came under fire for not removing a series of controversial Trump tweets that threatened North Korea. Officials in the isolated country interpreted them as a "declaration of war." In a series of tweets at the time, Twitter said the newsworthiness of the tweet and the tweeter, as well as whether it's in the public interest, are all taken into consideration when deciding whether to delete material. "We hold all accounts to the same rules, and consider a number of factors when assessing whether tweets violate our rules," the company tweeted. "Among the considerations is 'newsworthiness' and whether a tweet is of public interest.'" Twitter declined to comment further Friday. The White House didn't respond to a request for comment. Jennifer Grygiel, a social media expert and professor at Syracuse University, said Friday's blog post was all about one person: Trump. Since joining Twitter in March 2009, Trump has posted more than 35,000 tweets. And since becoming president a year ago, Trump has tweeted more than 2,400 times to criticize US' allies and adversaries, the FBI and Justice Department and NFL players protesting police treatment of African Americans by kneeling during the national anthem, according to tweet-counter.com. "There's been such outcry over his Twitter handle and whether he violates their rules," Grygiel said. "This is literally being addressed because of his tweets and the reaction he gets." Still, Grygiel cautioned that Twitter may have opened itself up to new scrutiny because it didn't clarify how it defined a world leader. She noted that many people considered leaders aren't elected or formally in the government. Trump's controversial Twitter habits extend beyond what he says. The president, who tweets using his personal account rather than the White House's official POTUS account, has also blocked people who criticize him. That's led to a lawsuit on the grounds that the US Constitution's First Amendment allows people unfettered rights to petition their government. One critic was disappointed with Twitter's position. Alan Marling, an artist who has more than 16,000 followers on Twitter and has spent several evenings in the past year with his projector beaming his critical commentaries onto the outside walls of Twitter's San Francisco headquarters, said Friday, "Today, Twitter gave us their answer." He then recalled of the more recent commentaries he projected that asked: "Would Twitter Ban Hitler?" Earlier Friday, Twitter said it reviews tweets "by leaders within the political context that defines them" and will enforce its rules as they see fit. "We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind," the company said. "No one No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions." First published Jan. 5, 1:26 p.m. PT.Update, 6:05 p.m.: Adds comments from a Twitter critic and background. iHate: CNET looks at how intolerance is taking over the internet. CNET Magazine: Check out a sample of the stories in CNET's newsstand edition.
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