In the ever-evolving drama of online misinformation, Twitter, now masquerading as "X" in Elon Musk's digital theater, has found itself starring in a plot twist even M. Night Shyamalan would envy. European regulators, led by the indomitable European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova, have just dropped a bombshell with the subtlety of a Tarantino showdown: Twitter is the undisputed king of disinformation. Cue the dramatic music!
Imagine Vera Jourova, in a darkly lit room, revealing this knowledge like a classic noir investigator, claiming that Twitter, or 'X' as it is now known, has the dubious honor of having the highest ratio of mis/disinformation posts. Elon Musk, the enigmatic brain behind Twitter's recent transformation, can almost be heard gasping in surprise, in a dramatic twist reminiscent of "The Sixth Sense" - we never saw it coming.
The EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation, a sort of "Ocean's Eleven" scheme of online platforms coming together for a common cause, encourages tech giants like Facebook, Google, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn to voluntarily share their efforts in battling misinformation. Think of it as assembling a team of superheroes to save the digital world from chaos, much like the Avengers. Twitter initially joined the league but took a "Mission: Impossible" withdrawal after Elon Musk's takeover in 2022. Musk, a proponent of free expression, wants to conceal rather than censor undesirable content, akin to a renegade anti-hero.
But here's where things become complicated. According to a recent story straight out of a Hitchcock film, Musk's method could have worked better. The research included thousands of social media posts and profiles from several nations. The statistics, provided with the solemnity of a courtroom bombshell, demonstrate that when it comes to hosting misinformation actors, Twitter and Facebook share the spotlight, with both enjoying an 8-9% percentage. YouTube, on the other hand, is the unassuming background figure with a 0.8% ratio.
Vera Jourova, with the tenacity of a classic detective like Sherlock Holmes, is determined to hold Musk accountable, making it clear that he's not off the hook for misinformation on Twitter despite the platform's voluntary departure from the code. It's like a relentless pursuit of justice in a legal drama where the truth must prevail.
It's like watching superheroes reveal their superpowers when major tech businesses submit their self-reported data. Meta, Facebook's parent corporation, swoops in with its fact-checking labels, placing them on over 40 million pieces of Facebook content and 1.1 million on Instagram. Surprisingly, Meta indicates that "95% of users encountering content with a warning label... opt not to click on it," as if providing an option between the red and blue pills, ala "The Matrix." And, like a plot twist in a psychological thriller, 37% of users who meant to share fact-checked content chose to rescind their sharing activities upon reading the alert.
In the meantime, YouTube, in a succession suggestive of an activity blockbuster, erases 411 channels and 10 Blogger web journals related to Russia's Web Exploration Organization (IRA). TikTok, known for its smart recordings, pulls off an accomplishment deserving of a mid-year blockbuster. It eliminates a stunning 141,000 recordings with more than a billion perspectives for disregarding its falsehood strategy. LinkedIn, the professional world's diligent gatekeeper, puts on a show by stopping the establishment of 6.7 million fraudulent accounts within the same time period, like a hero keeping baddies from entering the scene.
Vera Jourova, resembling a spy straight out of a Bond film, sends a clear message to the code's signatories: stay vigilant. With Russia's Ukraine conflict and the upcoming EU elections adding layers of intrigue, the plot thickens. In this digital arena, the stakes are as high as a "Die Hard" movie, and the battle against misinformation rages on with the intensity of any epic showdown.
Read next: X's Transformation Describes the Niche Communities and Streamlined Reporting
Imagine Vera Jourova, in a darkly lit room, revealing this knowledge like a classic noir investigator, claiming that Twitter, or 'X' as it is now known, has the dubious honor of having the highest ratio of mis/disinformation posts. Elon Musk, the enigmatic brain behind Twitter's recent transformation, can almost be heard gasping in surprise, in a dramatic twist reminiscent of "The Sixth Sense" - we never saw it coming.
The EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation, a sort of "Ocean's Eleven" scheme of online platforms coming together for a common cause, encourages tech giants like Facebook, Google, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn to voluntarily share their efforts in battling misinformation. Think of it as assembling a team of superheroes to save the digital world from chaos, much like the Avengers. Twitter initially joined the league but took a "Mission: Impossible" withdrawal after Elon Musk's takeover in 2022. Musk, a proponent of free expression, wants to conceal rather than censor undesirable content, akin to a renegade anti-hero.
But here's where things become complicated. According to a recent story straight out of a Hitchcock film, Musk's method could have worked better. The research included thousands of social media posts and profiles from several nations. The statistics, provided with the solemnity of a courtroom bombshell, demonstrate that when it comes to hosting misinformation actors, Twitter and Facebook share the spotlight, with both enjoying an 8-9% percentage. YouTube, on the other hand, is the unassuming background figure with a 0.8% ratio.
Vera Jourova, with the tenacity of a classic detective like Sherlock Holmes, is determined to hold Musk accountable, making it clear that he's not off the hook for misinformation on Twitter despite the platform's voluntary departure from the code. It's like a relentless pursuit of justice in a legal drama where the truth must prevail.
It's like watching superheroes reveal their superpowers when major tech businesses submit their self-reported data. Meta, Facebook's parent corporation, swoops in with its fact-checking labels, placing them on over 40 million pieces of Facebook content and 1.1 million on Instagram. Surprisingly, Meta indicates that "95% of users encountering content with a warning label... opt not to click on it," as if providing an option between the red and blue pills, ala "The Matrix." And, like a plot twist in a psychological thriller, 37% of users who meant to share fact-checked content chose to rescind their sharing activities upon reading the alert.
In the meantime, YouTube, in a succession suggestive of an activity blockbuster, erases 411 channels and 10 Blogger web journals related to Russia's Web Exploration Organization (IRA). TikTok, known for its smart recordings, pulls off an accomplishment deserving of a mid-year blockbuster. It eliminates a stunning 141,000 recordings with more than a billion perspectives for disregarding its falsehood strategy. LinkedIn, the professional world's diligent gatekeeper, puts on a show by stopping the establishment of 6.7 million fraudulent accounts within the same time period, like a hero keeping baddies from entering the scene.
Vera Jourova, resembling a spy straight out of a Bond film, sends a clear message to the code's signatories: stay vigilant. With Russia's Ukraine conflict and the upcoming EU elections adding layers of intrigue, the plot thickens. In this digital arena, the stakes are as high as a "Die Hard" movie, and the battle against misinformation rages on with the intensity of any epic showdown.
Read next: X's Transformation Describes the Niche Communities and Streamlined Reporting
