New Twitter policy says users will be suspended from promoting other social media sites

On Sunday, Twitter announced a policy change that said the social media giant will "remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms" such as Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and Truth Social.

The official Twitter Support account tweeted, "We recognize that many of our users are active on other social media platforms. However, we will no longer allow free promotion of certain social media platforms on Twitter."

Many users had been promoting the new platform Mastodon, which the New Yorker calls "the most talked-about alternative" to Twitter.

"Specifically, we will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contains links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post," the posts continued.

The Help Center's website gives examples of what would not be allowed.

Examples of banned promotion include, "'follow me @username on Instagram,' 'username@mastodon.socia,l' 'check out my profile on Facebook - facebook.com/username'."

The post from Twitter Support continued, "We still allow cross-posting content from any social media platform. Posting links or usernames to social media platforms not listed above are also not in violation of this policy."

While Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post are listed as forbidden sites for cross-promotion, Telegram, YouTube, Substack, and Medium are not included.

Ian Miles Cheong wrote, "New rule! You can crosspost to other platforms but you can't put the URL in your username. Telegram appears to be exempt however!"

Another Twitter user said it was a "Common sense business move."

The new policy comes after Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced on Wednesday that he would suspend any accounts that doxxed a person's real-time location after an incident where his son was followed by a "crazy stalker." He then suspended several users who were providing Musk's private location to the public, such as by publishing the coordinates of his private jet. Many of the users who Musk suspended had also been promoting platforms like Mastodon as an alternative to Twitter.

Notorious doxxer and Washington Post tech reporter, Taylor Lorenz, was suspended Saturday but restored Sunday.