Twitter to introduce warning labels to tackle misinformation on Ukraine conflict

Twitter said on Thursday (May 20) that it will start placing warning notices on some misleading content about Ukraine conflict and also limit spread of claims debunked by humanitarian groups and other credible sources.

The step taken by Twitter is part of its new policy that outlines how the social media giant will approach misinformation during crisis.

Social media platforms have faced increasing scrutiny over how they determine and handle misinformation. Twitter has agreed to sell itself to Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, who has said he believes the site should be a platform for free speech.

With its new step, Twitter will flash warning notices alerting users if a tweet violates the platform's rules. However, it will still allow users to view the tweet and comment on it. The platform will not amplify or recommend such tweets and retweeting will also be disabled.

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The approach could be "a more effective way to intervene to prevent harm, while still preserving and protecting speech on Twitter," said Yoel Roth, head of safety and integrity at Twitter, during a call with reporters.

Twitter is going to prioritise adding such labels to tweets from high-profile accounts if they are found to be misleading. Such high-profile accounts include verified users or official government profiles. It will also prioritise content that could cause harm to people on the ground.

Twitter said it defines crises as situations where there is a widespread threat to life, physical safety, health or basic subsistence. It said the policy would initially focus on international armed conflicts but is also intended for events like mass shootings or natural disasters.

(With inputs from agencies)

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