Twitter considering allowing tweets be flagged as fake news

[David Matthews]

If you're anything like me, then you're tired of constantly seeing misleading or false information on social media. To combat disinformation, Twitter is considering allowing users to flag tweets containing misleading, false or harmful information.

According to a Washington Post report, the feature is in a prototype phase and "may never be released, but is part of the company’s uphill battle against rampant abuse on its platform."

It's relatively easy for hundreds of fake Twitter accounts to be created with the express goal of trolling or harassment. Many extremist groups utilize Twitter to spread messages of hate and violence. In particular, Islamic extremist group ISIS has been known to utilize Twitter for recruitment and propaganda.

The 2016 presidential election was rife with accusations of fake news with Russia being blamed as one of the biggest contributors. Most notably, then candidate Donald Trump routinely labeled reputable media outlets as fake news. Even as President, Trump continues his war with media outlets that publish unfavorable articles about him

Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave "service" in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

Facebook, the world's largest social media outlet is obviously not immune from fake news. The social media giant has implemented several ways to fight fake news on its platform. Facebook unveiled its own solution for marking news stories as "disputed".

Per Facebook, "news stories that are reported as false by people on Facebook may be reviewed by independent third-party fact-checkers. A story may be marked as disputed if these fact-checkers find the story to be false." Facebook also prevents publishers from changing a headline or picture of an article.

Of course, one of the major drawbacks of Twitter allowing users to flag tweets as fake news is the possibility for abuse. Tweets that are indeed factual could be flagged heavily by people who fundamentally disagree with the tweet. Twitter bots could potentially spam legitimate tweets with fake news flags.

In any case, false and misleading news is an unfortunate consequence of an increasingly connected world. In a place where everyone is allowed to share whatever they want, it's almost inevitable that fake news reverberates off the echo chambers of social media.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/69939-twitter-considering-allowing-tweets-flagged-fake-news.html

 

[Kotters]

"We want to censor discourse and the hinder the progress of ideas we don't agree with."

 

[Igrecman]

Oh... then I guess the POTUS will get lots of fake news flags

 

[madboyv1]

Inb4 everything that dares label itself as news gets flagged as fake news.

 

[davislane1]

You know, with these videos coming out of CNN saying the Russia narrative was BS, with both CNN and NYT retracting said Russian stories, and after more than a year of "Trump is going down because of X bombshell," after years of ACHA is going to reduce your premiums, which followed years of Muh WMDs, now is probably the worst time to launch yet another attack on "fake news."

We all know who publishes fake news. Flagging the counter narratives is only going to emphasize the systemic corruption.

Go for it.

 

[learninmypc]

If its true & about trump & he don't like it, its fake news.

 

[Uncle Al]

I don't think the President will like this, but he's got the cash ... let him buy twitter and tweet his little bird brain out!

 

[Nobina]

We don't need this, journalism needs higher standards.

Do you want to become a journalist today? Just add "journalist" in your Twitter profile description and you're set. Mainstream media don't even regulate their content anymore, they just publish whatever they get sent if it aligns with their political agenda.

 

[DelJo63]

Got an idea!

• What would The Donald do if the entire press would boycott the White House news conference for an entire week or two, stop reporting on his tweets, full news blackout on the White House and have a paradigm shift to holding interviews ONLY in the rotunda?

 

[davislane1]

Got an idea!

• What would The Donald do if the entire press would boycott the White House news conference for an entire week or two, stop reporting on his tweets, full news blackout on the White House and have a paradigm shift to holding interviews ONLY in the rotunda?

Then he would just live stream updates...

You think anybody needs the press these days? They're worse than useless.

 

[ArdvarkMaster]

"Tweets that are indeed factual could be flagged heavily by people who fundamentally disagree with the tweet."

Or we don't agree what is factual. Twitter is owned and operated by liberals. It has banned conservatives simply because it can. The abuse will be factual information that is pro-conservative or anti-liberal will be flagged and there will be no recourse to unflag. Liberals will be able to continue any misinformation they want as it will be impossible to flag their fake news.

I will wait for liberals to say the exact opposite. Which will prove the point that we do not agree on what is factual.

 

[Bruce V Wayne]

Twitter should just outright ban CNN.

 

[psycros]

We don't need this, journalism needs higher standards.

Do you want to become a journalist today? Just add "journalist" in your Twitter profile description and you're set. Mainstream media don't even regulate their content anymore, they just publish whatever they get sent if it aligns with their political agenda.

This. So much this. Remember how the "information superhighway" was supposed to make everyone more educated and informed, bring people closer together and foster understanding? As usual, that idealistic vision didn't take human nature into account. Any tool that can be used to exert control or gain power will be employed by the powers-that-be (and the powers-that-wannabe). The web is just another weapon..another battleground.

 

[MonsterZero]

Twitter should just outright ban CNN.

Why, because the call Trump on all his BS?

 

[davislane1]

Why, because the call Trump on all his BS?

At this point, anyone who watches CNN and calls it a reputable outlet/calling people on their BS is an actual fool. A demonstrated zombie.

Skip to 2:52:

Anyone who cites these clowns as a credible or honest news organization should be ignored in totality unless for entertainment. Litterally too gullible to be taken seriously.

EDIT: Add the New York Times to that as well http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-...ing-17-intel-agencies-lie-about-russian-hacki

 

[DelJo63]

At this point, anyone who watches CNN and calls it a reputable outlet/calling people on their BS is an actual fool. A demonstrated zombie.

and this level of polarization is despicable ...

[rant]
"if you're not for me, you're against me" ... circa Richard Nixon's enemy's list. It was called Fascism in the mid '40s.

Some here may be too young to have witnessed the Watergate Hearings, but it was a free press that doggedly chased the story until Mr Nixon elected to resign than to be impeached - - undoubtedly THE Shining Moment of the First Amendment. (if possible see the movie "All the Presidents Men").

No one today walks on water nor is Satan incarnate - - learn to measure ACTIONS and never just WORDS!
[/rantoff]

 

[davislane1]

and this level of polarization is despicable ...

[rant]
"if you're not for me, you're against me" ... circa Richard Nixon's enemy's list. It was called Fascism in the mid '40s.

Some here may be too young to have witnessed the Watergate Hearings, but it was a free press that doggedly chased the story until Mr Nixon elected to resign than to be impeached - - undoubtedly THE Shining Moment of the First Amendment. (if possible see the movie "All the Presidents Men").

No one today walks on water nor is Satan incarnate - - learn to measure ACTIONS and never just WORDS!
[/rantoff]

Fake news is fake news. Actions are what's being measured, which is why CNNs the media's words have lost their power.

 

[Impudicus]

It's not like any of these new agencies report actual news to begin with. It's all just opinions about something that happened without all the facts. Just the little bits and pieces that fit what they think is right. Any contrary opinion is fake news. In most cases not even new either. Just a different pile of garbage with a different point of view. News is dead. It's all just entertainment now, like the nation enquirer but loosely based on actual events.