New post Need visibility? Apply for a FREE post for your Startup.  Apply Here

MobileNews

Twitter Launches Birdwatch Tool To Curb Online Misinformation

1 Mins read

Twitter has announced that it would start rolling out the Birdwatch notes to pilot participants across iOS, Android and desktop.

Birdwatch is Twitter’s latest crowdsourced project, with the aim of combatting online misleading information. The tool was announced via a blog post, which frames it as a context providing medium.

Birdwatch will allow users to attach notes to tweets that carry misleading information. The notes will serve to provide further context, either clearing up the author’s intention, or simply falsifying their information.

The company had already launched a pilot version of the program back in January.

Product VP, Keith Coleman, wrote in a blog post that:

We believe this approach has the potential to respond quickly when misleading information spreads, adding context that people trust and find valuable. Eventually we aim to make notes visible directly on Tweets for the global Twitter audience, when there is consensus from a broad and diverse set of contributors.”

Twitter emphasized that the moment Birdwatch notes are added to a tweet, users would be able to rate the tweet, and decide whether the feedback is helpful or not.

If none of the replies are deemed helpful, the Birdwatch card itself will disappear, but if any notes are deemed helpful they’ll pop up directly inside the tweet, TechCrunch explains.

There have been several questions and concerns about how and whether (or not) Birdwatch will work, given the current social media framework.

Read also: Fake News Among Reasons For Twitter Suspension, Presidency Claims

TechCrunch noted that the use of community feedback differs from more centralized efforts used by platforms like Facebook that have tapped independent fact-checking organizations.

Twitter is clearly aiming to decentralize this effort as much as it can and put power in the hands of Birdwatch contributors.

Don’t miss any tech news ever!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

840 posts

About author
When I'm not reading about tech, I'm writing about it, or thinking about the next weird food combinations to try. I do all these with my headphones plugged in, and a sticky note on my computer with the words: "The galaxy needs saving, Star Lord."
Articles
Related posts
ArticleNewsRandom

WhatsApp Introduces Groundbreaking Message Translation Feature

1 Mins read
In one of its many significant moves, the global microblogging platform WhatsApp is set to launch a pioneering translation feature for Android…
News

Microsoft outage leaves businesses scrambling as Windows devices crash worldwide

1 Mins read
A widespread IT outage has thrown businesses and services across the globe into disarray, with thousands of Windows devices experiencing critical failures….
News

Court Orders Arrest of Prison Doctor in Binance Executive Case

1 Mins read
A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, the medical officer at…
Newsletter Subscription

🤞 Don’t miss any update!

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Join our Telegram channel here - t.me/TechpadiAfrica

Leave a Reply