Twitter has now started fact-checking tweets mentioning conspiracy theories about the coronavirus and 5G. The platform has taken this initiative to combat the spread of misleading information.
Twitter started to place fact-check labels on tweets over the weekend if those tweets mention the word ‘corona’ and 5G, for example on this one. If Twitter has placed fact-check label on any tweet, a link will appear under the tweet. The title of the link is ‘Get the facts related to the coronavirus.’ If a user clicks on the link added by Twitter to tweets mentioning 5G and the coronavirus, they will be re-directed to a Twitter page. That Twitter page declares, ‘No, 5G is not causing the coronavirus.’ The page also includes tweets to news stories as well as videos that debunk the 5G- coronavirus conspiracy theories.
Last month, the platform announced a plan to rein in less harmful types of misleading information related to the virus and these fact-checking labels are part of that plan. It has been seen that the platform is removing content related to coronavirus conspiracy theories that could result in death or destruction. Some of the conspiracy theories Twitter removed also include encouraging individuals to burn down 5G cell towers. However, Twitter has decided to place labels for other disputed claims about COVID-19. Twitter adds fact-checking and warning labels to tweets based on the severity of the content.
A company’s spokesman told media outlets that Twitter is developing and testing new features to scale their application of these fact-checking and warning labels properly. The platform will make some mistakes along the way, he explained.
Currently, Twitter is adding labels indiscriminately. The company also points out that adding labels is not exactly a fact-check, these labels are merely links to more accurate information related to the coronavirus. It is up to you whether you want to click on the link or not.
Twitter’s spokesman explained that the company is not fact-checking the content of the tweet. The label is added to provide extra context from authentic sources. However, not everyone like this approach as President Donald Trump claimed last month that the labels amounted to censorship after the company added fact-checking labels to his tweets. Twitter placed labels to two of Trump’s tweets as his tweets contained misleading information related to mail-in voting. He launched an all-effort to regulate social platforms, but Twitter states that the White House is now trying to erode the rights of free speech.
Read next: Artificial Intelligence Can Possibly Detect Fake News In A Better Way By Analyzing User Interaction
Twitter started to place fact-check labels on tweets over the weekend if those tweets mention the word ‘corona’ and 5G, for example on this one. If Twitter has placed fact-check label on any tweet, a link will appear under the tweet. The title of the link is ‘Get the facts related to the coronavirus.’ If a user clicks on the link added by Twitter to tweets mentioning 5G and the coronavirus, they will be re-directed to a Twitter page. That Twitter page declares, ‘No, 5G is not causing the coronavirus.’ The page also includes tweets to news stories as well as videos that debunk the 5G- coronavirus conspiracy theories.
Last month, the platform announced a plan to rein in less harmful types of misleading information related to the virus and these fact-checking labels are part of that plan. It has been seen that the platform is removing content related to coronavirus conspiracy theories that could result in death or destruction. Some of the conspiracy theories Twitter removed also include encouraging individuals to burn down 5G cell towers. However, Twitter has decided to place labels for other disputed claims about COVID-19. Twitter adds fact-checking and warning labels to tweets based on the severity of the content.
A company’s spokesman told media outlets that Twitter is developing and testing new features to scale their application of these fact-checking and warning labels properly. The platform will make some mistakes along the way, he explained.
Currently, Twitter is adding labels indiscriminately. The company also points out that adding labels is not exactly a fact-check, these labels are merely links to more accurate information related to the coronavirus. It is up to you whether you want to click on the link or not.
Twitter’s spokesman explained that the company is not fact-checking the content of the tweet. The label is added to provide extra context from authentic sources. However, not everyone like this approach as President Donald Trump claimed last month that the labels amounted to censorship after the company added fact-checking labels to his tweets. Twitter placed labels to two of Trump’s tweets as his tweets contained misleading information related to mail-in voting. He launched an all-effort to regulate social platforms, but Twitter states that the White House is now trying to erode the rights of free speech.
Read next: Artificial Intelligence Can Possibly Detect Fake News In A Better Way By Analyzing User Interaction
