The Center for Countering Digital Hate reported on Wednesday, November 1, that 'User Notes' – the fact-checking feature of the social network 'X' – has performed poorly in combating the spread of false claims. The report stated that out of 283 misleading posts reviewed by the Center, 209 posts, or 74 percent, did not receive notes containing corrections or warnings about the inaccuracies, despite these posts having over 2.2 million views. The Center has urged the company owning 'X' to invest more in safety and transparency. The company did not respond to Voice of America's request for comment. The 'User Notes' feature, launched last year on 'X', allows users to comment on posts and flag incorrect or misleading content. Thus, instead of using a specialized group for fact-checking, the responsibility of verification has been delegated to users. This report comes as 'X' faced a lawsuit earlier this year from the Center for Countering Digital Hate due to the increase in hate speech on the social network. Social media platforms, including 'X', have long been under scrutiny for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories, especially regarding elections and vaccinations. Last September, attorneys general from five U.S. states requested Elon Musk, the owner of 'X', to make changes to the AI chatbot on 'X', as it was claimed that this bot disseminated false information about the U.S. presidential election. Musk, who announced his support for Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, in July and is actively working for his victory, has also been accused of spreading misinformation. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking to sanction Elon Musk for failing to appear in court.
Failure of 'User Notes' in Countering False Claims on X
A report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate reveals that the 'User Notes' feature on X has failed to effectively counter false claims, with 74% of misleading posts not receiving corrections. This raises concerns about the platform's ability to manage misinformation, especially in light of ongoing scrutiny regarding its role in elections and public discourse.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Center for Countering Digital Hate reported that the 'User Notes' feature on X is ineffective in addressing misinformation, with most misleading posts lacking corrective notes. This raises concerns about the platform's role in spreading false information.
- 74% of misleading posts did not receive corrective notes.
- The report follows a lawsuit against X for increased hate speech.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Social media platforms like X have been criticized for their role in spreading misinformation, impacting elections and public health debates. The 'User Notes' feature was intended to crowdsource fact-checking.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
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