Tag: label,
Twitter will limit reach of ‘hateful’ tweets with a label, not removal
You can still find hate speech on Elon Musk‘s Twitter. But now, some of it will come with a warning label.
According to Twitter, the company will start rolling out new warning labels on tweets that break its “Hateful Conduct” rules. Tweets with this label will have “limited visibility” on the platform, meaning that Twitter’s algorithm will reduce its reach — that is, fewer people will see the content, as its ability to be found via search or discovered via recommendations will be stifled.
Twitter stressed that the limited visibility will only affect the specific offending tweets, and accounts that tweet hateful content will not be deboosted or penalized in any way. The company said users will be able to submit appeals if they believe Twitter wrongly affixed their tweet with the label. Twitter also said it will “continue to remove illegal content and suspend bad actors” from the platform.
Limiting the visibility on user accounts or posts is typically referred to as shadowbanning, a practice that Musk and his staunchest supporters have frequently railed against.
However, Twitter is framing letting users know that a tweet has had visibility limited for breaking the company’s “Hateful Conduct” policies as a new step towards more transparency on the platform. Of course, any extra information provided by a platform to its users is a welcomed addition. But, again, from a content moderation standpoint, it’s exactly the type of activity that Musk has previously criticized.
Twitter’s policies define hateful conduct as racist or sexist slurs, tropes, and intimidation, as well as hateful references, imagery, and incitement.
Musk previously shared his vision of a platform with “freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach” before. However, so far, researchers and many Twitter users have noticed quite the opposite, often finding that hate speech and other extremist content make its way into the recommendations of the default For You feed.
Earlier this year, Twitter slashed its global content moderation team as part of a series of layoffs under Musk.
Canada’s CBC is the latest to leave Twitter in objection to ‘goverment-funded’ label
It’s not just American broadcasters departing Twitter in opposition to the “government-funded media” label. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is “pausing” its use of Twitter over the label’s implication that the government may influence its editorial output. Reporting is “impartial and independent,” the media outlet says.
There’s no word on whether or not the CBC is in discussions with Twitter to alter the label. We’ve asked the broadcaster for comment. The UK’s British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) succeeded in having Twitter change its label to “publicly-funded” soon after a quickly-organized interview with Elon Musk, who said he agreed with the corporation’s description of itself.
The CBC is a Crown corporation, which means it’s completely owned by the Canadian government but editorially independent — the country’s Broadcasting Act enshrines that hands-off approach in law. It also makes some of its money from advertising.
Attention to the issue in the US began in earnest when National Public Radio (NPR) objected to “US state-affiliated” media labelling. Twitter changed the label, but to a “government-funded” designation that still implied bias. NPR quit the platform days later. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) made a similar move, noting that most of its revenue comes from private sources.
The CBC’s halt won’t necessarily lead Twitter to change its label policy. However, it makes clear that the exodus is an international phenomenon. Don’t be surprised if the trend continues in other countries where similarly structured broadcasters operate.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/canadas-cbc-is-the-latest-to-leave-twitter-in-objection-to-goverment-funded-label-212524059.html?src=rss
Twitter to label tweets that get downranked for violating its hate speech policy
Twitter announced today a new policy that it claims will offer more transparency around which hateful tweets on its platform have been subject to enforcement action. Typically, when tweets violate Twitter’s policies, one of the actions the company can take is to limit the reach of those tweets — or something it calls “visibility filtering.” […]
Twitter to label tweets that get downranked for violating its hate speech policy by Sarah Perez originally published on TechCrunch
Twitter will label tweets limited due to hate policy violations
Twitter may have a looser stance on bans under Elon Musk, but it’s still willing to flag content that runs afoul of its rules. The social network will label tweets it believes are violating its Hateful Conduct policy. You’ll see a notice that Twitter is limiting the “visibility” of the problematic post with an opportunity to learn more.
The labels will cover more types of policy violations in the months ahead. Users can initially provide “feedback” on a label if they feel it was in error, but they’ll have to wait until sometime in the future to formally appeal decisions. The company stresses that the labels only apply to individual tweets, not an entire account.
We’re adding more transparency to the enforcement actions we take on Tweets. As a first step, soon you’ll start to see labels on some Tweets identified as potentially violating our rules around Hateful Conduct letting you know that we’ve limited their visibility. 🧵…
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) April 17, 2023
Twitter sees this as a reflection of its Musk-era “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach” philosophy where it more often shies away from outright bans in favor of limiting exposure to content. Theoretically, this prevents offensive speech from spreading without completely silencing users on the platform. It also promises greater transparency to address concerns of “shadow bans” that limit reach without someone’s knowledge. Musk has lifted bans on a number of high-profile accounts, including former President Trump’s, although it was willing to temporarily suspend Ye despite lifting a permanent ban in November.
The move might not please some. Advocacy groups have criticized Twitter for not doing enough to protect frequent targets of hate, such as the LGBTQ community. While offenders can still face bans if they’re “bad actors” or violate the law, they’re more likely to stay on the service. This also isn’t certain to satisfy advertisers leaving Twitter over concerns their ads may run alongside objectionable material. And while it will address concerns over possible censorship, it won’t necessarily please those who see labels as tarnishing a post’s worth.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitter-will-label-tweets-limited-due-to-hate-policy-violations-170438879.html?src=rss
Megan Thee Stallion accuses label of squandering cash to make itself “judgement-proof” in ongoing legal battle
PBS has also quit Twitter over its ‘government-funded media’ label
NPR isn’t the only public broadcaster to stop tweeting after Twitter applied a “government-funded media” label to its account. PBS has halted its use of the platform too. The organization hasn’t posted on its Twitter account since April 8th.
Both PBS and NPR claim the label, which previously read “state-affiliated media,” doesn’t represent them accurately. Twitter previously reserved such labels for state-run outlets like China’s Xinhua News Agency and Russia’s RT and Sputnik.
“PBS stopped tweeting from our account when we learned of the change and we have no plans to resume at this time,” a PBS spokesperson told Variety. “We are continuing to monitor the ever-changing situation closely.”
Federal funding accounts for around 15 percent of public television system revenue, PBS says. The biggest chunk of revenue, 31 percent, comes from donations from individuals. NPR, meanwhile, says federal funding makes up less than one percent of its average annual budget. The broadcaster says it stopped using Twitter in large part to protect its credibility, suggesting the label implies that the government has editorial influence over it. NPR says it’s “a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence.”
Twitter also applied the label to the BBC’s account. That organization also pushed back against the “government-funded media” descriptor. Following an interview that a BBC reporter conducted with Twitter owner Elon Musk this week, the company updated the label to read “publicly funded media,” a more accurate description of the broadcaster’s license fee-based budget.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pbs-has-also-quit-twitter-over-its-government-funded-media-label-164843803.html?src=rss