LOS ANGELES — Twitter “permanently suspended” the Pineapple Support account over the weekend, the nonprofit’s founder, Leya Tanit, reported through her personal account.
“We have no idea why our account was suspended,” Tanit told XBIZ. “It was done entirely without warning, and we’ve never had any issue in the past. We are currently appealing to get it back.”
Tanit added, “We don’t share or post any content that is in any way unsafe for work. We share resources and spread awareness about mental health services that are available to those who are struggling. The loss of the account is devastating, particularly at a time of year when many people are struggling.”
At the time of the unexpected suspension, the sex-worker-led mutual aid nonprofit was preparing for its busiest time of the year for outreach to at-risk performers. Pineapple Support is an active participant in events taking place this month, including XBIZ LA 2023 and X3 Expo in Hollywood, California next week.
FSC Director of Public Affairs Mike Stabile, who also handles Pineapple Support’s communications, told XBIZ, “It’s absolutely unconscionable for Twitter to block access to healthcare information for adult workers as we head into the shows.”
Stabile noted that while Pineapple Support serves the adult community, “they don't show or share adult content, and I've never seen them come close to anything that would violate Twitter's terms. The removal of the account makes no sense on policy terms, so my only thought is that it's the result of an internal decision or the result of someone gaming the algorithm, possibly through mass reports.”
XBIZ will continue updating this report as more information becomes available.