Twitter also plans to adopt stricter ad policies and improve controls, amid heightened scrutiny surrounding the news that Russian-backed entities used online platforms to spread disinformation during the 2016 campaign to help Republican Donald Trump defeat Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton. "We will also change the look and feel of these ads and include a visual political ad indicator." Lawmakers are investigating how foreign entities used Facebook, Google and other online platforms to sway sentiment in 2016. Twitter planned to debut the ad policy updates first in the US and then roll them out globally. Just a few years ago, Facebook and Twitter were hailed as tools for democracy activists, enabling movements like the Arab Spring to flourish.

Source: The Nation Bangkok October 24, 2017 22:18 UTC