Twitter is adding a feature that will help users identify misleading election content as the 2020 presidential campaign heats up in the U.S.
The tool will let Twitter users flag tweets containing inaccurate information about how to vote or register to vote, voting requirements, and the dates or times of elections, the San Francisco-based company said Wednesday.
“Voting is a fundamental human right, and the public conversation occurring on Twitter is never more important than during elections,” the company said. “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 was among the social media platforms, along with Facebook and YouTube, used by Russian actors to spread divisive and erroneous messages to influence the 2016 presidential election. Since the intelligence community revealed the extent of Russia’s interference and the role social media companies played, they have been under pressure to enact safeguards.
Facebook responded by displaying the identity and location of advertisers last year, a move intended to help users discern partisan or ulterior motives and assess credibility, and has focused on implementing artificial intelligence capabilities that take down fake accounts.
The new reporting tool from Twitter became available in India on Thursday in time for the general election there, which runs through May 19, and will be operational in the European Union on Monday, before its parliamentary elections in May. Twitter plans to roll the tool out globally through the remainder of the year.
In addition to criticism about Kremlin manipulation, social media companies have come under fire for their efforts to remove hate speech and misinformation. President Trump and conservatives have accused the firms, many based in Democratic-leaning Silicon Valley, of using content management as an excuse for censoring conservative voices.
Trump, who is particularly active on Twitter with nearly 60 million followers, met with its CEO Jack Dorsey on Tuesday, before which he accused the company of treating him poorly “as a Republican” and playing “political games.”
During the meeting, the president said he and Dorsey discussed “lots of subjects” regarding Twitter and “the world of social media in general.”
