In the continuing war against fake news, different social media platforms are taking individual efforts to regulate news feed contents and find ways to kill off suspicious articles that usually go viral. Along with that line, Twitter is now testing a feature to allow users flag fake news and offensive contents.
Twitter is looking into adding a feature that would allow users flag tweets containing "misleading, false or harmful information", reports The Washington Post. This feature might come in every tweet's drop-down menu option according to the publication's sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
This new feature is reportedly in its prototype stage and may not be released anytime soon. Twitter is now taking its steps to fight against fake news following a wave of backlash in the last few months. The platform has become a useful tool for bogus accounts to spreads fake news, hate speech, and extremist propaganda, among other issues.
Facebook, in the meantime, has also updated its algorithm for news feed starting today, particularly in reducing the presence of low-quality links which are usually leading to websites that have poor contents. This move is in line with Facebook's core News Feed value to ensure "informative and entertaining" posts being shared.
In addition, this new regulation is also aimed at cutting down clickbait, sensational, and misinformed articles. Facebook research had recently found out that tiny group of users has been spreading unreliable links.
Despite this, a ProPublication investigative report has revealed that Facebook's regulations, though growing more specific, have become contradicting. The platform particularly gives favour to a radical Muslim propagandist than a racist Caucasian; primarily because the radical Muslim propagandist is part of a protected class.
