This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
Twitter has taken a significant step in the fight against Covid-19 misinformation by introducing labels and warning messages on some tweets with disputed or misleading information about the pandemic.
According to a blog post published on May 12, 2020, Twitter's new labels will provide links to more information in cases where the risk of harm from the tweet is not severe enough to be removed but people could be confused or misled.
The company's head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, explained that these labels will apply to anyone sharing misleading information that meets the requirements of Twitter's policy, including world leaders.
Twitter's new approach is part of a broader effort to combat misinformation that has spread on social media platforms about the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the new coronavirus.
False claims have ranged from bogus cures to misinformation linking the virus with conspiracy theories about high-profile figures such as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates or about 5G mobile phone technology.
