Twitter gags Tutu account

The official Twitter account of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation has been suspended for "aggressive following" behaviour, the foundation said on Thursday.

   

The account was suspended just hours after it was opened on Thursday, spokesman Roger Friedman said.

   

"The @TutuLegacy is the only real Twitter account that speaks for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, through the voices of Desmond Tutu and the reverend Mpho Tutu, who runs the foundation," Friedman said in a statement.

   

The foundation was perplexed as to the reasons for the shutdown.  Twitter had not explained how 30 people could be construed as "aggressive following", or whether the number of people who followed @TutuLegacy in a short space of time was to blame, he said.

   

"I hope the powers that be at Twitter find it in their hearts to fix the problem and let us communicate again. We need to reassure all those people who started following us today that this is the real deal," Friedman said.

   

As Tutu planned to cut down on his travel, the foundation saw Twitter and Facebook as a means for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate to communicate with people.

   

-Sapa