There’s nothing worse than the awful wave of misinformation that continues to engulf social media. And while leading apps like Twitter have tried their best to tackle the issue, there’s always room for improvement.
Twitter has recently launched a new policy in this regard that has already been implemented. This policy enlists a new set of rules that further limit the spread of misinformation during desperate times.
Common examples of times of crisis include civil unrest and war. This is especially true taking into consideration the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine where we’ve seen the worst wave of misinformation spread take center stage.
And as you can imagine, that’s one of the major reasons why Twitter has been forced to step up its measures to tackle the concerns that so many of its users have been forced to deal with.
The company recently released a public statement in this regard, where they spoke about how many users rely on the app for their news and other information because that’s how much they trust the app. And that’s exactly what is putting immense pressure on the network to combat the misinformation issue during times of need.
Twitter hopes the new implementation of the policy will enable it to provide accurate and credible facts that arise from authoritative sources.
During times of distress such as war, conflict, or natural disasters, Twitter hopes to work at a quicker pace to disguise inaccurate claims via a warning cover. Similarly, they’re also going to prevent the amplification of such news reports in the app’s timeline, Explore tab, or even the Search tab.
If a user does wish to view that inauthentic tweet, they’ll need to click on the warning screen but other features such as shares or likes would be suspended for such stories.
In the same way, the company hopes to provide a similar measure to tweets that are very visible on the app including those coming from some high-profile areas. This could include media accounts linked to the country’s state media or perhaps those authenticated by the Government.
But remember the new policy will be restricted to categories that the platform feels could be threatening to a person’s life or one which could put a user’s health or safety in danger.
However, the biggest question on so many people’s minds is relating to how the app actually plans on authenticating information in such a quick turnaround time?
Well, the platform claims that hope to double-check teh facts through sources that are not only credible but also those that are available to the general public for greater transparency. Common examples include humanitarian groups, media journalists, NGS, regulatory bodies, and more.
We’re not quite sure how that would go down with advocates of free speech who already claim the company makes policies or decisions that are completely based on political agendas.
If you ask us, we think the new step taken by Twitter in terms of introducing a new policy makes a lot of sense. After all, we’ve seen how harmful reports, misinformation, and propaganda has some really bad impacts and hence should never be allowed for amplification.
But again, we won’t be surprised to see critics coming forward with claims that freedom of speech is again being violated.
Twitter has made the clauses for the new policy public and they include some interesting pointers worth a mention. The policy will add warnings to any false reporting or events that have been misinterpreted to appear as something else.
Similarly, we’ll be seeing the app put up warnings against false allegations that entail the use of weapons, force, or even invasions of a country’s territory. Other than that, we’ll see content revolving around war crimes and other inhuman atrocities be eliminated.
The app will also have zero tolerance for incorrect facts relating to humanitarian efforts, sanctions, and the world’s response to the ongoing conflict.
We’re not seeing this as an easy policy to introduce in today’s day and age, considering the present state of the world. But at the same time, it’s a great effort one that we feel really was needed, even if others deem it biased.
Whether or not Twitter’s decision to implement the new change backfires or not, well, we’ll just need to look out for that because it’s too early to make a decision right now. Remember, one drawback could be the masking of information that is actually true, thanks to the limited rapid action policy.
Moreover, we’re also interested to see what Elon Musk thinks of it. Remember, he’s been calling for a free speech reform before the whole Twitter acquisition deal fiasco began and with him in charge, it’s going to be hard to convince him because it’s definitely one step too far in terms of overstepping that aspect.
Read next: Twitter Gives Users A New Layer Of Conversation With The Launch Of Its Super Follower
Twitter has recently launched a new policy in this regard that has already been implemented. This policy enlists a new set of rules that further limit the spread of misinformation during desperate times.
Common examples of times of crisis include civil unrest and war. This is especially true taking into consideration the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine where we’ve seen the worst wave of misinformation spread take center stage.
And as you can imagine, that’s one of the major reasons why Twitter has been forced to step up its measures to tackle the concerns that so many of its users have been forced to deal with.
The company recently released a public statement in this regard, where they spoke about how many users rely on the app for their news and other information because that’s how much they trust the app. And that’s exactly what is putting immense pressure on the network to combat the misinformation issue during times of need.
Twitter hopes the new implementation of the policy will enable it to provide accurate and credible facts that arise from authoritative sources.
During times of distress such as war, conflict, or natural disasters, Twitter hopes to work at a quicker pace to disguise inaccurate claims via a warning cover. Similarly, they’re also going to prevent the amplification of such news reports in the app’s timeline, Explore tab, or even the Search tab.
If a user does wish to view that inauthentic tweet, they’ll need to click on the warning screen but other features such as shares or likes would be suspended for such stories.
In the same way, the company hopes to provide a similar measure to tweets that are very visible on the app including those coming from some high-profile areas. This could include media accounts linked to the country’s state media or perhaps those authenticated by the Government.
But remember the new policy will be restricted to categories that the platform feels could be threatening to a person’s life or one which could put a user’s health or safety in danger.
However, the biggest question on so many people’s minds is relating to how the app actually plans on authenticating information in such a quick turnaround time?
Well, the platform claims that hope to double-check teh facts through sources that are not only credible but also those that are available to the general public for greater transparency. Common examples include humanitarian groups, media journalists, NGS, regulatory bodies, and more.
We’re not quite sure how that would go down with advocates of free speech who already claim the company makes policies or decisions that are completely based on political agendas.
If you ask us, we think the new step taken by Twitter in terms of introducing a new policy makes a lot of sense. After all, we’ve seen how harmful reports, misinformation, and propaganda has some really bad impacts and hence should never be allowed for amplification.
But again, we won’t be surprised to see critics coming forward with claims that freedom of speech is again being violated.
Twitter has made the clauses for the new policy public and they include some interesting pointers worth a mention. The policy will add warnings to any false reporting or events that have been misinterpreted to appear as something else.
Similarly, we’ll be seeing the app put up warnings against false allegations that entail the use of weapons, force, or even invasions of a country’s territory. Other than that, we’ll see content revolving around war crimes and other inhuman atrocities be eliminated.
The app will also have zero tolerance for incorrect facts relating to humanitarian efforts, sanctions, and the world’s response to the ongoing conflict.
We’re not seeing this as an easy policy to introduce in today’s day and age, considering the present state of the world. But at the same time, it’s a great effort one that we feel really was needed, even if others deem it biased.
Whether or not Twitter’s decision to implement the new change backfires or not, well, we’ll just need to look out for that because it’s too early to make a decision right now. Remember, one drawback could be the masking of information that is actually true, thanks to the limited rapid action policy.
Moreover, we’re also interested to see what Elon Musk thinks of it. Remember, he’s been calling for a free speech reform before the whole Twitter acquisition deal fiasco began and with him in charge, it’s going to be hard to convince him because it’s definitely one step too far in terms of overstepping that aspect.
Read next: Twitter Gives Users A New Layer Of Conversation With The Launch Of Its Super Follower
