Twitter will now show warning to users if they try to retweet flagged tweets

FP TrendingNov 24, 2020 14:24:26 IST

Twitter will now show a warning if one tries to retweet a tweet that the company has labelled as being misleading. Twitter announced the new functionality and added that such prompts have decreased Quote Tweets of misleading content by 29 percent. They shared, "Giving context on why a labeled Tweet is misleading under our election, COVID-19, and synthetic and manipulated media rules is vital, "adding, "These prompts helped decrease Quote Tweets of misleading information by 29 percent so we're expanding them to show when you tap to like a labeled Tweet."

Twitter to now show warning if you retweet misleading tweet

Giving context on why a labeled Tweet is misleading under our election, COVID-19, and synthetic and manipulated media rules is vital.

These prompts helped decrease Quote Tweets of misleading information by 29% so we're expanding them to show when you tap to like a labeled Tweet. pic.twitter.com/WTK164nMfZ

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 23, 2020

According to a report in The Verge, ahead of the 2020 election in the US, Twitter began showing a warning for retweeting a misleading tweet. Twitter is now planning to expand the functionality and is rolling it out on the web and iOS globally this week. The functionality is slated to come to Android in the coming weeks.

The report adds that warnings ahead of retweets are not the only restrictions Twitter has put in place to reduce spread of misinformation. At present, when users try to share a retweet, Twitter opens a window to compose a quote tweet instead of immediately sharing the tweet with followers. However, users are not compelled to write anything and can just hit the 'Retweet' button in the compose window.