Democratic Unionist Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has accused Twitter of failing to act after an anonymous account targeted party member Diane Dodds MLA.
This came after Mrs. Dodds posted a message wishing her followers a Happy New Year. An anonymous user responded by referring to her late son, Andrew, who was born with spina bifida and died in 1998 at the age of eight. Ms Dodds confirmed that she had spoken to PSNI about the tweet.
Donaldson called the post a «hate crime» and said there was «a real need to call time in the ‘wild west’ online where few people believe they can say or do whatever they like without consequences.»
fueled by hate
He criticized the social media company on Sunday for failing to remove the anonymous account.
«Despite the launch of a police investigation and global condemnation, Twitter appears unwilling to take action against those fueled by hate,» he said.
«What is even more shocking is that Twitter responded by saying after reviewing the information that they did not find a violation of their rules.»
Former DUP leader Arlene Foster, who previously called for tougher regulations to counter online trolling, also criticized the offensive post.
«I just retweeted one of the most despicable things I’ve ever read on Twitter and read some horrible things on Twitter,» she said. I want people to see what Republicans are tweeting to union representatives. There has to be work.” — PA