Labels warning about false information on Twitter will begin to appear in timelines next week. And when users want to retweet a post from another account, they will essentially get a timeout, in the form of a prompt that will nudge them to add their own comment or context. It’s one of a handful of changes the social media platform is imposing in an attempt to control the spread of misinformation in the final weeks before the presidential election — and the move risks attracting the ire of its best-known user, President Trump. Twitter officials said the “extra friction” was designed to “encourage everyone to not only consider why they are amplifying a tweet, but also increase the likelihood that people add their own thoughts, reactions and perspectives to the conversation.”The change is likely to have a direct impact on Mr. Trump’s online activity. On Tuesday evening alone, he tweeted or retweeted posts from other accounts about 40 times.

Source: International New York Times October 09, 2020 22:18 UTC