Twitter has announced that it will affix a label for identificare i tweet of the Russian media, warning users of “stay informed“. A tactic to slow the spread of fake news about the conflict in Ukraine by blocking the Kremlin’s propaganda.
Twitter labels and restricts tweets from Russian media
After Facebook made a similar decision over the weekend, Twitter has decided to label the tweets with links connected to the Kremlin-controlled media. The labels will be accompanied by an orange exclamation point with the warning “stay informed”.
Inoltre Twitter will reduce visibility tweets with links to Russian media on the platform, preventing them from reaching a larger audience.
These changes will take place immediately, with similar labels for Russian state media affiliate accounts coming in the next few days. Yoel Roth, Head of Site Integrity for Twitter, explained: “As people look to Twitter for credible information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we understand and take our role seriously. Our product should make it easier to understand who is behind the content you see and what are their motivations and intentions “.
Twitter began putting labels on media accounts controlled by Moscow and other dictatorships two years ago, but that label isn’t seen on tweets. The company does not receive advertising money from these profiles, a change implemented in 2019 after the Chinese government had started spreading fake news about Hong Kong.
According to Roth, over 45,000 tweets a day they have been releasing content affiliated with the Russian government since the invasion of Ukraine began. This measure should provide “context to help” personal decisions, as happened with tweets about elections and pandemics.