BTS WORLD Official Twitter Account Is Suspended, Here’s Why
As ARMY, we follow many different social media accounts for BTS…
The group’s official account…
…the members’ shared account in which they post personal content like selfies and their daily activities…
… Of course, there are more, like their UNICEF Love Myself campaign…
…their lovable and adorable LINE FRIENDS characters BT21…
…as well as accounts for their video games like BTS WORLD.
Whenever BTS’s new projects are announced and an account is created for them, we automatically follow immediately to stay updated. So, in the case of BTS WORLD, BTS’s mobile video game developed by Takeone Company Corp and published by Netmarble, we have now all been following the account for years even if we don’t play the game as much as we used to.
So, many were shocked to see that BTS WORLD‘s Twitter account had been suspended. An ARMY shared a screenshot, showing that it’s inaccessible as of yesterday.
??? pic.twitter.com/jyvgqoVbVS
— tata mic⁷ (@itstatamic) November 14, 2021
Followers didn’t even believe it until they checked for themselves…
I THOUGHT U WERE LYING WHAT pic.twitter.com/j9aYH5IvXh
— lau⁷ (@jvnggkuk) November 14, 2021
It turns out that there’s a “team” behind this unjustified suspension…
“Team Copyright” identifies as Bangelidishi cyber security researchers. And they have over 5,000 followers on Facebook.
They reported the BTS WORLD official account, getting Twitter to remove the profile picture and cover photo before ultimately suspending the account.
Team Copyright has been on a mission for a while now to report any accounts related to BTS, including innocent ARMY.
And, of course, BTS themselves are targeted regularly. Remember when Twitter removed Suga‘s pink-haired selfie?
Twitter removed the pink Yoongi selca due to copyright….this ain't right pic.twitter.com/BLQMW1N1RV
— Imen⁷ ⟭⟬ 🦋💜 (@BTS21_2019) August 28, 2021
ARMYs’ accounts have been getting their profile pictures and headers removed with claims of infringement. Many have been left confused and wondered why.
Who reported my icon ?!?!?? It's my own profile pic ?!? I created it @Twitter pic.twitter.com/PokrENRigg
— ⟭⟬♡ (@BTSupdate_7) October 13, 2021
In the case of @BTSupdate_7, she has had her profile picture and header removed multiple times, even though she created the images herself. Her followers even attempted to help by creating her new ones, but she has been continually targeted by what we now know is Team Copyright. So, now she has been just using sold purple for profile picture and header.
Now, we know “why” all of this has been happening to various BTS accounts, even if the reason is not a good one. According to Team Copyright’s Facebook page, they are a non-profit organization working “for a clean cyberspace.” They hope to remove “adult and atheist” content online. So, their motivation to get BTS-related accounts removed is due to the “promotion” of atheism, equality, and homosexuality.
One of the individuals behind Team Copyright is especially active on Twitter, often using BTS hashtags. It seems like they intend to attract BTS fan accounts to engage so that they can then report them.
Now, ARMYs are trying to team up themselves to get the BTS WORLD account back, as well as their own profile pictures, headers, etc. Many are both tagging Twitter’s official accounts as well as attempting to contact directly.
Come on @Twitter and @TwitterSupport, get your shit together!!!
How can you suspend @BTSW_official?! It's the OFFICIAL BTS WORLD account!!!!
How can it be this easy to claim copyright? How do you exist this long and not have methods in place to protect from false accusations?
— ⟭⟬ ᴮᴱDr. omeroz⁷🧈 ⟬⟭ 💜( slow until the 25th) (@omermeroz) November 14, 2021
i found the culprit please report and dont engage!https://t.co/Lkv2UeiWK4 pic.twitter.com/vlURDoB789
— sean⁷ (kinda ia📚) (@sean_ctg) November 9, 2021
At this time, the BTS WORLD page is still in darkness. It’s also nearly unsearchable now.
Read an update in regards to this issue below: