More than 70,000 accounts that were dedicated primarily to share QAnon content were suspended by the social media company Twitter, the company has said, which, according to analysts, is  a part of the efforts of the platform to be strict with users posting and sharing unscrupulous content since the storming of US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump.

“Given the violent events in Washington DC, and increased risk of harm, we began permanently suspending thousands of accounts that were primarily dedicated to sharing QAnon content on Friday afternoon,” Twitter said in a blog late on Monday.

“These accounts were engaged in sharing harmful QAnon-associated content at scale and were primarily dedicated to the propagation of this conspiracy theory across the service,” the company said.

Some of the accounts could lose thousands of followers. Because of the measure taken by it, Twitter said.

“Our updated enforcement on QAnon content on Twitter, along with routine spam challenges, has resulted in changes in follower count for some people’s Twitter accounts. In some cases, these actions may have resulted in follower count changes in the thousands,” the social media company said.

Conspiracy theories on social media are pushed by backers of QAnon which include the proof-less claim of US president Donald Trump secretly fighting a cabal of child-sex predators, among them prominent Democrats, figures in Hollywood and “deep state” allies.

Some QAnon products from its online marketplace are also being removed by it, said Amazon saying that those products violated policies that prevent offensive inappropriate items.

The was widespread criticism from various quarters of the largest online retailer of the world because even after last week’s attack on the US Capitol, the company allowed for sale on its platform apparel with QAnon insignia and related books for sale days.

Accounts pushing QAnon content are also being permanently suspended by Twitter, the company has said which essentially includes the accounts of boosting of some of the prominent right-wing conspiracy theories on the platform.

Following the attack on the US Capitol last week, Twitter had also permanently blocked the accounts of US president Donald Trump which resulted in a sharp drop in the shares of the company. Investors spooked by the prospect of potential tougher future regulation for the platform, pulled out of the stocks resulting in a loss of $5billion in market value of the company

The process of certification of Joe Biden’s election victory was delayed because of the siege of the Capitol building by Trump supporters last week. The storming of the building forced lawmakers to flee the building as the security forces were overwhelmed by the president’s supporters. The incident resulted in the death of five people which included one Capitol Police officer who was badly beaten as he attempted to ward off the crowds.

(Adapted from TheGuardian.com)

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