Twitter implemented restrictions on accounts linked to two prominent allies of President Trump on Friday, removing them from the platform as part of a larger initiative to limit the spread of the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Michael Flynn, who previously served as President Trump’s national security advisor, and Sidney Powell, a former lawyer for the Trump campaign, both received suspensions due to violations of Twitter’s policy against “coordinated harmful activity.” Additionally, Ron Watkins, the former operator of 8kun (previously known as 8chan), had his account removed.

According to a Twitter spokesperson who spoke with TechCrunch, “We have consistently stated that we will take decisive action against behaviors with the potential to incite real-world harm, and considering the heightened risk of violence associated with this type of activity in the near future, we will permanently suspend accounts dedicated exclusively to disseminating QAnon content.”

Over recent months, these individuals have each actively promoted QAnon, a complex network of conspiracy theories that allege President Trump is secretly fighting against a group of political adversaries involved in activities such as child sex trafficking, among other unsubstantiated accusations.

Powell gained significant recognition within the QAnon community while working as part of President Trump’s legal team following the election, as the group believes in a hidden plan that will secure the president a second term. She also widely circulated claims about the Dominion voting machines, alleging that devices manufactured by the company altered votes from Trump to Biden. Dominion Voting Systems has filed a defamation lawsuit against Powell for $1.3 billion, contending that her “widespread disinformation campaign” has negatively impacted its business.

Flynn publicly embraced the QAnon movement last year, reciting an oath and repeating the well-known QAnon slogan “where we go one, we go all!” He has also been heavily involved in efforts to challenge the outcome of the November election. Previously, Flynn faced legal repercussions, pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI in 2017. However, the Justice Department later dismissed the case against him, and President Trump ultimately granted him a pardon.

Watkins has the most direct connection to the core of QAnon and the least association with President Trump. As the administrator of QAnon’s primary online forum, Watkins was instrumental in the movement’s growth in popularity over the past several years. Some observers of QAnon speculate that Ron Watkins, or his father Jim Watkins, may be the anonymous individual known as “Q,” responsible for creating and distributing the cryptic messages that fuel the conspiracy theory.

Twitter initially began to limit QAnon-related content in the middle of 2020, citing similar concerns about potential real-world consequences. This new enforcement strategy represents a significant escalation, and Twitter’s commitment to permanently suspending QAnon accounts is expected to have a substantial effect.

https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1285726277719199746