The Royal Baby: @UnbornRoyal Twitter Account Disabled

Culture

On Monday, Dec 3, Andrew Sullivan declared the hilarious satirical twitter account, @UnbornRoyal, a.k.a. The Royal Baby, to be the “conception of the day.” Sullivan’s headline proved apt, because it only lasted one day. By Tuesday, the account had been disabled.

Twitter’s user policy explicitly allows for “parody, commentary, and fan accounts” to be created, unless they are clearly intended to “deceive or confuse.” So, unless internet consumers have grown to be so stupid they believe it’s possible for an in-utero fetus without opposable thumbs to tweet, this account was not violating the platform’s terms of service, nor slandering the Duke or Duchess of Cambridge’s unborn child. 

Yet, with legal action being pursued against a much more egregious violation of Kate Middleton’s privacy (the tabloid publication of long-lens topless photos of the princess) and potentially very strict new media regulations in Great Britain following the release of the Leveson Report, the site or the account's creator may be erring on the side of caution.

Too bad really, it was our favorite thing so far to come out of the royal bump announcement.