Twitter Reactivates NYT On It Twitter Account After New York Times Complaint

UPDATE: Twitter has reactivated the NYT On It Twitter account as of Tuesday morning, Politico reports. Benjamin Kabak, who runs @NYTOnIt, told the site that he has removed the avatar in question and will hold a contest to find a new one.

ORIGINALLY: Twitter has suspended the NYT On It account after the New York Times filed a complaint.

The popular Twitter account had over 20,000 followers and mocked Times lifestyle stories with tweets like, "GUYS, teenagers are big fans of caffeinated drinks, and The Times is ON IT."

Benjamin Kabak, who runs NYT On It, said that the suspension came after the newspaper objected to the account's use of a modified New York Times logo as its avatar. He has filed an appeal, writing, "I say fair use. Right now, I'm waiting for Twitter to process my request to fix the problem so I can get the account reenabled. But feel free to spread the word over how the country's largest newspaper feels threatened by a small Twitter account right now."

A Times spokesperson confirmed the complaint to Politico, but added, "This is not about feeling ‘threatened.’ However, it is important to The Times that our copyright is protected and that it is clear to all users of Twitter that parody accounts or other unofficial Times accounts are not affiliated nor endorsed by The Times."

The outcry over the suspension has been loud on Twitter, with several people asking Times public editor Margaret Sullivan to weigh in. She promised to look into the matter, tweeting Tuesday, "I will ask questions today but such legal matters may be beyond me."