Original Article By Jon Del Arroz At BoundingIntoComics.com:
Twitter suspended YouTubers Brittany Venti and The Quartering on Friday after both posted screenshots of a publicly posted hip-hop music video from YouTube. The suspensions came after a mass flagging campaign from fans of Eliza Bleu, a woman famous for running a podcast against human trafficking.
Venti posted questioning Bleu’s authenticity in speaking out against human trafficking and the sexualization of women because the video features Bleu posing salaciously. Along with posting the screenshot of the video, Venti said, “If she’s addressed it before let me know but I’m just curious because I came across videos like this maybe she was trafficked via being coerced? Idk”
Venti also tweeted, “I saw this tweet just now but I think it starts to blur the line about what is trafficking vs what was voluntary. I think it’s fair to ask questions when things like this distract from the anti-trafficking messaging when it’s not clarified.”
Twitter locked Venti out of her account for the tweet, claiming she violated Twitter rules for “violating our rules against posting or sharing privately produced/distributed intimate media of someone without their express consent.”
At least one of the tweets was reported by an account named Amanda Jean, who said, “Also, I’m reporting this for nonconsensual image. You didn’t have to post that screen shot, you salty hoe.”
Eliza Bleu had previously been doing good work exposing human trafficking and child grooming, which was highlighted by the Daily Wire in 2022, bringing Bleu’s podcast to new public prominence.
What happened between her and Venti to cause beef between the two isn’t clear, but in this instance, it appears that Bleu is in the wrong in advocating for deplatforming based on public appearances.
The video in question remains on YouTube, easily searchable by anyone who might want to take a screenshot of Bleu’s stripping for the camera. Despite Twitter’s proclamation, this does not qualify as sharing private intimate media or any kind of revenge porn. Venti appeared to be asking an earnest question.
It didn’t stop Bleu from playing the victim over the situation. She threatened Venti after the incident, tweeting, “I’m going to address this one time and one time only. A non-consensual photo was posted of me yesterday on Twitter. The photos have been removed. The source of the photo has also been contacted, and I’m preparing to escalate to the full extent of the law.”
Bleu continued, “Twitter did an outstanding job, and they will be excluded from legal action. There won’t be anyone else involved spared. I take things all the way and have no chill. I’m a survivor advocate, and that doesn’t stop with advocating for myself as a survivor.
“I’d encourage my enemies to study the law. I have been for many years. It might stop you from making rookie mistakes in the future,” she tweeted.
Several prominent YouTubers took exception to Bleu’s grandstanding, including The Quartering, who reposted Venti’s tweet and was suspended as well with his tweet deleted.
Before his suspension, he posted, “I have never had a bad interaction with @elizableu & the same for @BrittanyVenti. I have a major issue with Brittany getting her account locked for posting a PUBLIC image. Her account was locked for sharing ‘private’ images but this is not the case. Please fix this @elonmusk.”
Twitter gave TheQuartering a similar reasoning as Venti for his suspension.
While Bleu threatened Venti and TheQuartering with lawsuits, in a YouTube video, TheQuartering claimed he welcomed Bleu taking him to court and claimed, “It seems like it’s going to be a very expensive lawsuit for you, my friend.”
He then encouraged viewers to sign up for his newsletter and said he would update subscribers to the pending lawsuit.
Anna “ThatStarWarsGirl” also chimed in Bleu’s comments, stating, “Oh that is such bulls**t. The photos were from a PUBLIC music video you consented too that’s been up on YT for over 6 years with ZERO age restrictions. You didn’t like that so you&your goons abused @TwitterSupport system to get @BrittanyVenti banned. It’s f***ed up. Stop lying.”
After their suspensions, several other YouTubers and fans also echoed their support for Venti and The Quartering. Though Twitter has systems like this in place to try to put a stop to the serious issue of revenge porn, it appears their algorithm was tripped in a massive error in this instance.
It’s concerning to see that the platform might deplatform people over screenshots from public places like YouTube.
