Twitter is expanding Birdwatch, the platform's experimental fact-checking program, as reported by Engadget. The platform will be adding more people as Birdwatch contributors. Currently, there are 15,000 contributors who can now earn the ability to add notes by first rating the notes of other contributors.
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Once a contributor reaches rank 5, they can start writing their own notes. However, if the notes are repeatedly deemed "not helpful" by other contributors, they could lose the privilege of adding notes to tweets.
Birdwatch Expansion
It seems that the current scoring system is designed in a way to ensure Birdwatch contributors don't go rogue and start adding misinformation to the platform. Additionally, documents released by Twitter's former security chief showed that the platform has allowed an "overt QAnon account" by mistake into Birdwatch, which was only caught the night before the program launched.
The latest expansion also means that the fact checks will be more prominent on the platform. When it was first launched, the fact checks were only viewable on a separate website. However, that changed earlier this year with Twitter adding fact-checks directly to tweets, but it was still only visible to a small group of people.
Now, with the expansion, it can reach millions more users and half of its users in the US can see Birdwtch fact checks. However, users shouldn't expect to see them on every tweet.
Also Read: Twitter 'Birdwatch' Forum Launched-How to Sign-up as a 'Birdwatcher'
Fact-Checking
According to Twitter, based on their early research, it suggested that facts checks have a positive impact.
The initiative debuted last year and takes a crowd-sourced approach to debunk misinformation on the platform. Moderators that are part of the program can append notes to misleading tweets to provide more informative context.
Solving Misinformation Online
Twitter is one of the platforms that has been plagued by the spread of misinformation and false news online, which has become a major issue in recent years. The fact-checking program is one of the prominent initiatives that Twitter has launched to combat misinformation. The practice is not unique to Twitter. Facebook, Google and other internet giants have also been using similar methods.
The fight against misinformation online is crucial to ensure that the online world isn't filled with disinformation and lies. Not only does it affect the user experience on social media platforms but it also poses a threat to overall democracy, which relies on the free exchange of accurate and verified information.
Furthermore, false news and misinformation can cause users to lose trust in institutions and public figures, which could have long-term effects on society.
Related Article: Twitter vs. Misinformation: How Twitter Will Handle Social Media Misinformation with Warning Labels
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Written by April Fowell
