President Donald Trump has threatened to shut down social media companies after Twitter labelled two of his misleading tweets creates a fresh platform challenge as they attempt to cope with political misinformation throughout a toxic election campaign. Twitter highlighted tweets on Tuesday in which the president said that voting by mail would lead to fraud and a “rigged election” in November, the first time the site has put a warning mark on Trump ‘s remarks.
The President’s angry reaction and a threat to social media companies “strongly regulate” or “close down” highlights the conundrum for Twitter and other networks, said Steven Livingston, director of George Washington University’s Center for Data, Democracy and Politics.
Livingston said he anticipates Twitter to closely enforce its misinformation policies, addressing only specific issues like the electoral process and the coronavirus pandemic. Trump’s and his supporters’ attacks put “so much pressure (on Twitter) on the idea of taking the next step,” Livingston said, curbing political misinformation.
Twitter Assures for Healthy Conversation
While Twitter pledges to foster a “healthy conversation” by filtering out the hoaxes and toxic content, Livingston said the social platform economic model suggests the opposite.
Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said his social network has a different approach. It is to once ask about the fact-checking on Twitter during a Fox News interview.
Still, a social media researcher at the University of Texas and professor Samuel Woolley. It welcomed what he called “a very bold move by Twitter” in the face of political pressure.
Supports Argue Over Internet Companies Being Bias
Trump and Twitter ‘s new confrontation comes with the president. Also, his supporters complaining about what he terms internet companies bias. It is against conservatives amid his own massive social media audience. Also, trying to use antitrust legislation or other regulatory measures against the companies.
Daniel Kreiss is a professor and researcher at the Center for Data. Also, professor of Technology and Public Life at the University of North Carolina. He said Twitter “made the right argument” to implement its policy on election disinformation. This is without reaching the wider sphere of political debate or other subjects. It is such as the president’s assassination plot this week against a TV reporter.
Kreiss said the measured approach would allow Twitter to manage a volatile election campaign. It is without getting trapped in political discourse but noted they ‘re going to be attacked wherever they go. Michelle Amazeen, a political communication professor at the University of Boston, called Twitter’s change “a much-needed step forward.”
But questioned how much it will affect misinformation on the site.
Amazeen said Twitter’s acts are far short of setting the same expectations that are in place in other news outlets.
As for Trump’s intimidation, legal experts say Trump has corrupted the protections. It is of freedom of expression in the US constitution that protects against government-driven restrictions.
