Twitter Announces New Policy to Follow Science and Question It Reasonably

Social media giant Twitter has recently announced a new policy that requires users to follow the science, which necessarily includes reasoned questioning of the science. This policy comes as a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, during which misinformation about the virus has been rampant on social media platforms. Twitter's policy is intended to ensure that users are provided with accurate information about the virus and its effects on society. The company will be using automated tools to detect and remove tweets containing false or misleading information about COVID-19. In addition, they will be suspending accounts that are found to be sharing such content. The new policy also encourages users to engage in reasoned questioning of scientific evidence related to COVID-19. This includes asking questions about how reliable certain studies are, what other factors may have influenced their results, and what further research needs to be done in order for us to better understand the virus and its effects on society. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stated that this policy is intended “to help create an environment where people can make informed decisions based on accurate information” regarding the virus. He added that “it’s important for us all as citizens of this world, regardless of our political beliefs or affiliations, to stay informed so we can make decisions that benefit ourselves and our communities”. The company has also released guidelines for how it expects users to interact with each other when discussing topics related to COVID-19 on its platform. These include avoiding personal attacks or insults when engaging in debates; refraining from spreading rumors or unsubstantiated claims; not using inflammatory language; and always providing sources for any statements made regarding scientific evidence related to the virus. This announcement comes after months of criticism from public health experts who argued that social media companies should do more in order to prevent misinformation from spreading online during this pandemic. While some have welcomed Twitter's move as a step in the right direction, others have expressed concerns over whether these measures will actually be effective at curbing misinformation on their platform or if they will simply lead people away from having meaningful conversations about issues related to COVID-19 due fear of being censored by Twitter's algorithms or moderators.