Coronavirus: Twitter to label misleading content
The company says that it will tackle tweets which could encourage people to increase transmissions of the coronavirus.
Tuesday 12 May 2020 10:50, UK
Twitter is introducing new labels and warning messages to tell users about tweets containing "disputed or misleading information" about coronavirus.
The move is intended only to provide context to the information users post, rather than remove them from the platform - which is the tactic both Facebook and YouTube have followed.
It follows the company announcing the addition of warning labels to "significantly and deceptively altered" images and videos which are designed to mislead people.
The company announced that similar labels will now appear on tweets containing "potentially harmful, misleading information related to COVID-19".
Historical tweets will also receive this label, the company stated.
The labels will link through to either a page curated by Twitter on the topic, or to an external trusted source with more information about claims included in the tweet.
In the case of the most seriously misleading information which could cause harm, Twitter will also display a warning on the tweet to say it conflicts with public health experts' guidance.
Last week MPs accused Twitter, Facebook and Google of being "unwilling" to give clear answers on how they are tackling false information during the pandemic.
Announcing the new labelling system, Twitter said: "While false or misleading content can take many different forms, we will take action based on three broad categories:
- Misleading information - statements or assertions that have been confirmed to be false or misleading by subject-matter experts, such as public health authorities.
- Disputed claims - statements or assertions in which the accuracy, truthfulness, or credibility of the claim is contested or unknown.
- Unverified claims - information (which could be true or false) that is unconfirmed at the time it is shared.
The company said it "will continue to rely on trusted partners to identify content that is likely to result in offline harm" and that it will prioritise reviewing tweets which could lead to increased transmission of the virus.