The company characterized this as a "start" and suggested that broader anti-hate policies could cover other protected groups in the future.

As a spokesperson explained to BuzzFeed News, this is partly about consistency. The company hadn't elaborated on why it left some offensive tweets up while taking others down. Now, there isn't much ambiguity -- people who denigrate a faith's adherents should face some kind of enforcement action.

The revamped policy could have implications for some of Twitter's other decisions. In June, for instance, it said it would label tweets from politicians that violate its rules. The new approach could see those labels applied considerably more often. It's certainly going to raise eyebrows among those who claim Twitter is stifling specific ideologies. However, the company is undoubtedly wagering that these issues will be worthwhile if the rules reduce the toxicity of Twitter and make people feel welcome regardless of their religious practices.