False information is commonplace on social networks. On Twitter, the covid-19 pandemic continues to be a major topic, so the platform is increasing its features against misinformation. Twitter is now making it easier to report publications that may contain misleading information.
Often called out for their lack of reactivity regarding "fake news," community platforms are increasingly communicating about new tools to fight against it. Some of the platform's users will now find a new category among the different ways of reporting a tweet.
By clicking on the three small dots at the top right of a publication, then selecting "Report Tweet," users will be able to choose whether it is a message containing misleading information in the field of politics, health or other. While the "Politics" category will include several subcategories such as the topic of elections, the health category will allow direct targeting of covid-19-specific misinformation.
Launched as a test for now, the new option will only be available to users in the United States, South Korea and Australia.
Despite this new option, Twitter has specified that not all reported tweets will be studied, as the feature is still in development. However, Twitter was keen to qualify its words by saying that user feedback will help improve their moderation tool for more efficiency and help them detect tweets with the potential to go viral.
Last June, Twitter launched Birdwatch, a system to fight against misleading information, still in test in the United States.
