Twitter is on the warpath with disinformation about Ukraine

Twitter, in its fight against disinformation, will prioritize tagging misleading tweets from high profile accounts.

The company announced yesterday that it will place warning labels on any inaccurate content about the war in Ukraine and will limit the dissemination of claims that are refuted by humanitarian organizations or other credible sources. Measures to step up the fight against disinformation about the Russian invasion of Ukraine are part of the new policy.

Social media platforms are facing increasing scrutiny in their definition and handling of disinformation. Twitter was sold to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who said the site should be a platform for free speech.

The new tags will warn users that a tweet violates Twitter policies, but users will still be able to view and comment on the post. The platform will not expand or suggest such tweets and retweets will be disabled.

Twitter’s head of safety and integrity, Yoel Roth, told reporters that this approach could be “a more effective way to intervene to prevent harm while preserving and protecting word on Twitter.”

The company plans to prioritize tagging misleading tweets from high-profile accounts such as verified users or official government profiles. It will also prioritize content that may harm people on the ground.

Twitter explains that it defines crises as situations where there is a widespread threat – physical safety, life, health, basic survival. The company notes that initially its policy will be focused on international armed conflicts. cnn.gr. However, in addition to this, it is designed for events such as natural disasters and mass executions. Roth says: “While the timeline for this project began before the start of the war in Ukraine, the need for such a policy became even more evident as the conflict in Ukraine developed.”

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