In a recent update, Twitter has shared the progress of its “Freedom of Speech Not Reach” moderation approach, which aims to combat hateful conduct on its platform. The company reports encouraging results since it began limiting the reach of tweets that violate its hateful conduct policy and labeling them accordingly.
Twitter has applied the label “Visibility limited: this tweet may violate Twitter’s rules against hateful conduct” to over 700,000 posts since the implementation of this approach. As a result, the reach of these posts has been reduced by 81%, effectively limiting their visibility. Additionally, the company has taken proactive measures to prevent ads from appearing alongside this content.
An interesting finding from Twitter’s update is that more than one-third of users choose to delete their own tweets once they have been notified that they violate the platform’s policy. Only a small percentage, four percent specifically, of authors have appealed the labels placed on their tweets.
It is worth noting that independent verification of these claims can be challenging due to Twitter’s decision to charge for API access. This prevents most researchers studying hate speech from conducting their own investigations. However, Twitter stands by its claims of the effectiveness of its approach and is moving forward with plans to expand the use of labels to include more types of policy violations.
According to the company’s announcement, Twitter will now label and downrank posts that violate its Abusive Behavior and Violent Speech policies. This expansion will include tweets containing malicious content targeting individuals, those encouraging harassment of individuals or groups, those threatening physical harm, and tweets promoting violence or harm.
Twitter emphasizes its commitment to maintaining free speech on its platform while simultaneously ensuring the health and safety of its users. The company asserts that more than 99.99% of tweet impressions are from content that aligns with its rules and guidelines.
By actively moderating and labeling posts that violate its policies, Twitter aims to create a safer environment for its users and reduce the spread of harmful content. The labeling system allows users to easily identify tweets that may exhibit hateful conduct, making it easier to report and address such behavior. Furthermore, the reduction in visibility for these posts serves as a deterrent to users who might otherwise engage in or promote hate speech.
While the implementation of these measures is a step in the right direction, some critics argue that Twitter still has room for improvement in combating hateful conduct effectively. They believe that stricter and more transparent enforcement processes, as well as greater investment in human moderation, are necessary to address the persistent challenges faced by the platform.
Twitter acknowledges these concerns and states that it continues to work diligently to refine its moderation strategies. The company is investing in technology and human resources to enhance its ability to detect and address content that violates its policies. Regular updates on its progress and efforts are shared to ensure transparency and accountability to its user base.
The fight against hate speech and harmful content on social media platforms like Twitter is an ongoing process. Twitter’s “Freedom of Speech Not Reach” approach, with its limiting reach and labeling measures, is one significant step towards protecting users and creating a safer online environment. As the company expands and refines these measures, it is essential for Twitter to remain responsive to user feedback, adapt to evolving threats, and continue to prioritize the well-being of its community.
