Twitter is adding an anti-misinformation banner before the election
TECH DIGEST – Twitter will add an app banner offering information about election results and voting by mail. The banners will appear on the home timelines of all US-based users, and they’ll pop up when people search for election-related phrases or hashtags.
Twitter says the new pop-ups “preemptively address topics that are likely to be the subject of election misinformation.” One of the two banners reassures users that voting by mail is safe and secure. The other informs people that election results may not be announced right away. Both link to Twitter Moments that Twitter will populate with up-to-date information about voting and results.
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Neither banner addresses specific false statements. Instead, Twitter warns users broadly about seeing “unconfirmed claims” that mail-in voting is fraudulent or a specific candidate has won their race. Twitter already removes or labels tweets that promote false claims about voting. It’s also made temporary interface changes before the election, aiming to increase informed engagement with tweets.
Facebook has announced a similar banner for the US presidential election, telling Facebook and Instagram users whether votes are still being counted. Both platforms are positioning themselves as reliable sources of information on election night — instead of potential vectors for misinformation. “People rely on Twitter for accurate, credible information about how to vote, and the latest election news, and we believe it’s critical that we make it easy for people to find that information,” a Twitter spokesperson says.
