Twitter is testing out a new feature for Android users that prompts them to read an article before tweeting it, in an effort to promote informed discussion.
One way of stopping the spread of fake news is obviously to check if someone really understands the content of what they are sharing.
Related | Facebook News Tab Starts Rolling Out In The US
In an effort to promote informed discussion on its platform, Twitter announced it is running a test for a new feature that prompts users to read an article before tweeting it. For now, the feature is only available for text in English and people using Twitter for Android, according to a company spokesperson.
Sharing an article can spark conversation, so you may want to read it before you Tweet it.
To help promote informed discussion, we're testing a new prompt on Android –– when you Retweet an article that you haven't opened on Twitter, we may ask if you'd like to open it first.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) June 10, 2020
Twitter explained that the prompt is triggered on whether a person has clicked on the link, and not on how much time they actually spent on a page before sharing.
I did read it, actually 🤔 pic.twitter.com/sqikMwu0pV
— Eric Tendian (@EricTendian) June 10, 2020
The objective is clear: promoting healthy and informed discussion on content that people understand. Kayvon Beykpour, Twitter product lead, explained that the virality of social media can be “powerful but sometimes dangerous, especially if people haven’t read the content they’re spreading.”
Twitter said they will run the experiment for a few weeks “to get enough data to make an informed decision on next steps.”
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