Twitter Declares Only 7 Mainstream Media Outlets Can Call Election Results Without Warning Labels
As Election Night looms, Twitter has announced the select few outlets that will be able to call election results on the platform without a warning label.
Only seven mainstream media outlets are being allowed the freedom to declare Election Night winners on Twitter without a warning label attached, according to a Twitter blog post written by Vijaya Gadde, the legal, policy and trust and safety lead for Twitter, and Keyvon Beykpour, the product lead at Twitter and co-founder of Periscope.
The approved national news outlets, which have “dedicated, independent election decision desks” are ABC News, the Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Decision Desk HQ, Fox News and NBC News.
Twitter said state election agencies can also declare winners on Twitter without receiving warning labels.
We’ll consider a result official when announced by a state election official, or when calls are made by at least two of the below national news outlets that have dedicated, independent election decision desks:@ABC@AP@CBSNews@CNN@DecisionDeskHQ@FoxNews@NBCNews
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 2, 2020
According to the blog post, Twitter believes anointing only seven media sources to call results without a warning label is “the right thing to do to protect the integrity of the conversation around the election while counting is ongoing and before results are announced by state authorities.”
“Beginning on election night through the inauguration, we will label some Tweets that make claims about election results,” the post said.
Twitter had previously announced that “People on Twitter, including candidates for office, may not claim an election win before it is authoritatively called.”
It said that tweets that “include premature claims will be labeled and direct people to our official US election page.”
Examples of the labels to be used on Election Night include:
— “This Tweet is sharing inaccurate results about the presidential race before state officials or other news sources have made official projections.”
— “This Tweet is sharing inaccurate information about the presidential race that contradicts official results and projections.”
On Monday, the Trump campaign issued a statement about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden trying to interfere with the election results.
NEW:
The Trump campaign releases a statement on Democrat plans to delegitimize Election Day results. pic.twitter.com/XU54rCFdbj— Stephanie Myers (@_StephanieMyers) November 2, 2020
Some pushed back against Twitter’s self-appointed role to decide what information should be shared.
Election results might be delayed, but only by @Twitter fascists. I’ll be listening to election results and reporting. You better not censor my reporting of election results, @jack like you censored the @nypost . @nytimes @washingtonpost @nprpolitics @seanhannity @TuckerCarlson
— Kurt St. Angelo (@saintangelo) October 28, 2020
Propelleheads at Twitter, (mostly not U.S. citizens; here on visas) treat Americans like children. “Election results may be delayed.” Ya think? Possible “unconfirmed claims of victory.” Right, like Gore in 2000 or Stacy Abrams in 2018. Message to Silicon Valley: We’re not morons. pic.twitter.com/Wbntd6uuST
— Jim Rickards (@JamesGRickards) October 28, 2020
Sounds like Twitter is trying to interfere with the election results even after the U.S, senate lambasted @Jack for exactly this type of censorship. ? pic.twitter.com/wAeONL2Eg3
— E.J. V’Kanty (@EJ_VKanty) October 28, 2020
Twitter voiced its fears that the results will stir rioting.
“Tweets meant to incite interference with the election process or with the implementation of election results, such as through violent action, will be subject to removal. This covers all Congressional races and the Presidential Election,” the post said.
Twitter said the warning labels are ready and waiting for “[a]ll accounts with US 2020 candidate labels (including US 2020 Presidential candidate and campaign accounts),” “US-based accounts with more than 100,000 followers” and “Tweets that have significant engagement (25k likes or 25k Quote Tweets and/or Retweets).”
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