Twitter collaborates with AP, Reuters to add context to tweets

Twitter has announced a collaboration with The Associated Press (AP) and Reuters to expand its ability to promote credible information.

Announced the 2 August, the collaboration aims to help Twitter users obtain verified information on new and trending topics.

“We are committed to making sure that when people come to Twitter to see what’s happening, they are able to easily find reliable information,” Senior Director of Curation, Joana Geary, wrote in a blog post.

What do Twitter, Reuters, and AP want to accomplish?

The collaboration will see Twitter increase the size of its Curation team to give more context to tweets and surrounding conversations.

It will be especially useful in cases when the information is beyond the team’s expertise or access to reporting.

Going forward, Twitter users can expect to see more trending topics with contextual descriptions and links attached to them. The links will provide verified reporting on the topics.

The team will work to preempt topics that are attracting attention with additional context. They hope this will decrease the potential for misleading information about the topic.

“Trust, accuracy, and impartiality are at the heart of what Reuters does every day, providing billions of people with the information they need to make smart decisions,” Reuters Head of UGC Newsgathering, Hazel Baker said.

“Those values also drive our commitment to stopping the spread of misinformation.”

The collaboration will also help develop and improve other Twitter products and initiatives.

Birdwatch, the community-driven Twitter platform designed to combat fake news, will use feedback from Reuters and AP to assess the quality of information put forward by members.

Currently, Birdwatch is only available in the US.

Featured image: Unsplash/Joshua Hoehne

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