Twitter announces new pilot project 'Birdwatch' to curb misinformation

In a bid to combat misinformation, microblogging website Twitter on January 25 announced its pilot program ‘Birdwatch’ which will allow users to flag misleading or inaccurate tweets. According to a blog post, the pilot project is initially being offered in the United States and participants who apply to the program can write posts identifying and rebutting misinformation. Their notes will initially not be visible to the social media platform for users outside the pilot group but will be visible on the Birdwatch site. 

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‘A model worth trying’ 

Twitter said that it expects to have between 1,000 and 10,000 Birdwatchers who are being admitted on rolling bases and who will not be paid. In the blogpost, vice president of product, Keith Coleman, said that the notes will ultimately be visible to the global Twitter audience. Following the launch, the firm also said that Birdwatch can be found on a separate section of Twitter - twitter.com/i/birdwatch. 

Coleman said, “We know there are a number of challenges toward building a community-driven system like this – from making it resistant to manipulation attempts to ensure it isn’t dominated by a simple majority or biased based on its distribution of contributors. We believe this is a model worth trying”. 

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Twitter’s recent project comes after social media companies came under pressure to combat misinformation on their platforms. In the past, Twitter had started adding labels and warning about misinformation on their site, including about coronavirus pandemic and the US election. The microblogging website has even permanently suspended former US President Donald Trump after his use of Twitter was seen to praise or enable the storming of the Capitol on January 6. 

Meanwhile, according to The Guardian, some people have criticised Twitter for delegating the important task of moderating questionable content to unpaid users. However, others also said that this move could be a step in the right direction. Evan Greer, who is the director of the online activist group Fight for the Future, said that the effectiveness of the project will depend largely on how, exactly, it is carried out. He also added that Twitter and other companies should consult with experts and members of impacted communities as they craft their policies and experiment with possible solutions to complex problems. 

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