In a recent blog post, Twitter announced the decision to remove or label manipulated media and misinformation beginning March 5, 2020.
We know that some Tweets include manipulated photos or videos that can cause people harm. Today we’re introducing a new rule and a label that will address this and give people more context around these Tweets pic.twitter.com/P1ThCsirZ4
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 4, 2020
In an effort to reduce the spread of misleading content, Twitter updated its policy and will soon label tweets that contain manipulated or synthetic media, which includes content edited in a way that changes its composition, timing, sequence, or fabricated media. Deceiving content that may lead to misunderstanding or confusion will also be labeled, and Twitter will provide more context to such posts.
In case if the content is “likely to impact public safety or cause serious harm,” it will be removed under the new policy.
The company also mentioned in a statement: “This will be a challenge and we will make errors along the way — we appreciate the patience. However, we’re committed to doing this right. Updating our rules in public and with democratic participation will continue to be core to our approach.”
The new policy comes after Twitter announced a plan to ask its users about how they think the platform should address misleading media. The survey began last fall, and more than 6 thousand people around the world shared their feedback on the issue.
We’re always updating our rules based on how online behaviors change. We're working on a new policy to address synthetic and manipulated media on Twitter – but first we want to hear from you.
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) October 21, 2019
Twitter is not the first social media site that takes steps to combat the spread of misleading information that can harm people or cause confusion. Earlier, we wrote about Facebook’s efforts to eliminate fake content by banning deepfakes and Reddit’s decision to prohibit impersonation made in a deceptive manner. Instagram is taking action as well by introducing a tool that will warn users about posts that may contain false information.
Social media platforms are updating their privacy policy as the 2020 Unites States presidential election approaches to make sure no manipulated media regarding the upcoming event can be widely spread.
