Twitter Introduces New Way to Report Misinformation During Polls

Twitter is becoming more vigilant about any abuse of its platform for spreading misinformation. Image used for representational purpose only. 

(Photo Courtesy: iStock)

Twitter on Wednesday, 24 April, began making it easier to report tweets aimed at interfering with people voting, starting first in Europe and India.

It has created a “dedicated reporting feature within the product to allow users to more easily report misleading content to Twitter”, in addition to existing steps in place to tackle malicious automation and other forms of manipulation on twitter.

Reporting Twitter messages as being misleading about voting is added to the one-to-many messaging service's app in India and Europe, with a promise it would be expanded globally through the year.

“Any attempts to undermine the process of registering to vote or engaging in the electoral process is contrary to our company’s core values.”

Twitter <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/strengthening-our-approach-to-deliberate-attempts-to-mislead-vot.html">blog</a>

Twitter teams entrusted to review reported content have been trained as part of an enhanced appeals process in the event tweet removal decisions are challenged, according to the San Francisco-based company.

Examples of misleading information fired off in tweets include:

• Misleading information about how to vote or register to vote (for example, that you can vote by tweet, text message, email, or phone call)
• Misleading information about requirements for voting, including identification requirements
• Misleading statements or information about the official, announced date or time of an election

How to Report

IN-APP

• Select report Tweet from drop down menu
• Select “it’s misleading about voting”
• Select the option that best tells us how the Tweet is misleading about voting
• Submit your report.

DESKTOP

• Select report Tweet from drop down menu
• Select “it’s misleading about voting”
• Select the option that best tells us how the Tweet is misleading about voting
• Submit your report.

The new reporting feature is only available in the EU and India for now.

Twitter and other online social media services have been under pressure to prevent their platforms from being used to spread falsehoods aimed at influencing voting, as appeared to be the case in the US presidential election in 2016.

(With inputs from PTI)