{"id":2550,"date":"2021-01-26T01:01:16","date_gmt":"2021-01-26T01:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/?p=1335389"},"modified":"2021-01-26T01:01:16","modified_gmt":"2021-01-26T01:01:16","slug":"birdwatch-is-twitters-new-community-based-fact-checker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=2550","title":{"rendered":"Birdwatch is Twitter\u2019s new community-based fact checker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Twitter has tried a variety of fact-checking measures in the past few years, but these normally only apply to tweets from prominent accounts or popular topics. Now the company wants to add context and labels to more tweets by implementing a community-driven fact-checking system called Birdwatch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To start, a group of contributors will be able to \u201crespond quickly when misleading information spreads, adding context that people trust and find valuable.\u201d Currently, this context will be available on a dedicated Birdwatch page<\/a>, but the eventual goal is to make these notes available right on Twitter once \u201cthere is a consensus from a broad and diverse set of contributors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udc26 Today we\u2019re introducing @Birdwatch<\/a>, a community-driven approach to addressing misleading information. And we want your help. (1\/3) pic.twitter.com\/aYJILZ7iKB<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) January 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The feature is limited to a separate site for now because the company wants to make sure it actually produces useful context; the last thing anybody wants is for a fact-checking tool to become another source of misinformation.<\/p>\n

Twitter says it has conducted interviews with over 100 Twitter users \u201cacross the political spectrum\u201d about the feature so far. The company said people valued that the notes were written in the voice of community members rather than in the voice of Twitter or some other authority. They also appreciated having more context than simple true or false labels.<\/p>\n

The company says all the data on Birdwatch will be publicly available and downloadable<\/a>, such that experts, researchers, and the public can audit Birdwatch. It\u2019s also working on reputation and consensus systems to help highlight accurate information.<\/p>\n

The current ranking system<\/a> for tweet notes is somewhat akin to Quora or Stackexchange. Notes are initially shown in reverse chronological order, but notes that are rated highly by the community will be highlighted with a header that says \u201ccurrently rated helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>An example of what notes on Birdwatch currently look like<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s pretty basic, but it\u2019s only intended to get the system rolling at the start. According to the company, the current system \u201cis knowingly basic, and we only intend to use it for a short time during the program\u2019s earliest phase.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The company acknowledges that Birdwatch could be \u201cmessy and have problems at times,\u201d but it believes the model is \u201cworth trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like Facebook and other social media platforms, the company has often come under fire for its failure to manage the spread of disinformation.<\/p>\n

At first glance, the idea that misinformation can be managed by a public group of users \u2014 potentially the same public spreading it in the first place \u2014 seems oxymoronic. But it\u2019s a model other companies have relied on to arrive at (mostly) useful answers, and Twitter insists Birdwatch is in its early stages and open to evolving.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s hope it evolves into something worthwhile. In the meantime, if you\u2019d like to contribute to Birdwatch, you can sign up here<\/a>, although openings are rolling out slowly.<\/p>\n

Did you know we have a newsletter all about consumer tech? It\u2019s called Plugged In \u2013 and you can subscribe to it right here<\/a>. <\/i><\/p>\n

Published January 26, 2021 \u2014 01:01 UTC <\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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