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This is what Twitter users feared. The social network has reversed its moderation policy, announcing the end of the reporting of disinformation content relating to Covid-19. The beginning of the end ?
Will fake news be back on Twitter? With the arrival of Elon Musk at the head of the social network, and faced with his known positions for total freedom of expression on the platform, users then feared a resurgence of online hatred, and false information. . A confirmed fear.
On Twitter, a new note on the page “Covid-19 Misinformation” (COVID-19 Disinformation) now informs that the social network will no longer strengthen its actions against misleading information about Covid-19. “As of November 23, 2022, Twitter no longer applies the Covid-19 policy on misleading information” , is it indicated on the page.
The platform had deployed moderation to report tweets containing false information about Covid-19 and vaccines, from the start of the pandemic in 2020. Twitter had even implemented a system that alerted users to tweets containing inaccurate information. or misleading. The accounts concerned could then be completely suspended if they continued to publish such tweets.
From January 2020 to September 2022, Twitter suspended 11,230 accounts and deleted 97,674 content worldwide, according to figures announced by the social network.
Often criticized for its lack of moderation, Twitter could see a new wave of problematic content given the return of suspended accounts, again allowed to return to the platform. After launching a poll on Twitter, and faced with a majority of positive responses, the controversial new boss then announced “an amnesty” for these banned users, thus signing the possible return of Donald Trump and that already noted of Kanye West.