Why Is Twitter Blocking Links to Phil Robertson Petition Website? (UPDATE)

UPDATE: Shortly after our story posted, Twitter began allowing links to IStandWithPhil.com. It still isn't clear what caused the links to be blocked for a period of time on Monday. We will update this post with any new information.

–

For reasons unknown, Twitter is currently blocking users from posting links to the petition website IStandWithPhil.com. The website was created to support Phil Robertson following his remarks about homosexuality that have offended some.

As Mediaite's Josh Feldman points out, "#IStandWithPhil has been trending on Twitter for days, but links to the actual site, run by Christian group Faith Driven Consumer, are being flagged for spam."

Here's the message that appeared when we tried to tweet a link to IStandWithPhil.com:

Twitter

Faith Driven Consumer maintains that their website doesn't host any malicious software. Online activists have used Twitter's "spam" feature to block content that offends them in the past, so it may not have been Twitter's official policy that resulted in the blocking of the link.

More than 200,000 people have signed the petition on the website, which calls on A&E to reinstate Phil Robertson on the show and demands that "my views be treated with equality and respect in America’s rich rainbow of diversity."

Featured image via IStandWithPhil.com

–

[related]