It was back in January of 2021 that Twitter announced “Birdwatch,” a “collaborative fact-checking” program that allowed eligible users to add “context” to other people’s tweets. Of course, there was no way that was going to be abused. We’d seen Birdwatch in action a couple of times, but it really didn’t seem to catch on. The midterm elections are just around the corner, though, and it looks like Republicans are going to take back the House, so Twitter is reviving the service so that important context can be added.
JUST IN – Twitter is rolling out its Birdwatch "collaborative fact-checking" program ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
"Helpful notes" added to tweets by eligible users will be visible to everyone in the US starting today.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 6, 2022
To be an eligible user, you had to be verified and also not have any recent Twitter violations on your record.
https://twitter.com/johnmccumber/status/1578037955826176004
Let me guess, these "Helpful Notes" will be rather one-sided?
— Milenka~ (@MilenaAmit) October 6, 2022
I see the "fortification" has begun. Good times.
— Guy Faux (@Faux_Guy_) October 6, 2022
Election interference
— Julie H Wright✝️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥋 (@juliew38138) October 6, 2022
Actual election meddling 👆
— David Giglio (@DavidGiglioCA) October 6, 2022
Gotta fortify those elections.
— Samuel Clemens (@craboppotamus) October 6, 2022
The deal can't close fast enough @elonmusk.
— EllyKayUSA (@EllyKayUSA) October 6, 2022
Funny how "helpful notes" is how we now refer to Democrat propaganda
— Kelly Campagna (@warriorwoman91) October 6, 2022
What if the “fact checkers” are the ones lying?
— nick babcock (@nickbabcock1) October 6, 2022
So basically another controlled and scripted election then
— • (@CFCRui) October 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/DragonbaneC/status/1578012865356767232
Added by "eligible users."
Hmm, wonder who those eligible users will be?
— Shadyhugs (@Shadyhugs) October 6, 2022
Old enough to remember Twitter censoring “false” vaccine information only for it to come out as true several months later ..
— ____ (@214TexasTornado) October 6, 2022
In other words, “whatever you don’t agree with will be hidden, banned, shadowbanned, reported and attacked”. Got it 🤣👍🏼
— Elán (@_elan_) October 6, 2022
We remember people asking where Birdwatch was whenever Hillary Clinton or Stacey Abrams tweeted that their election was stolen. That should be pretty easy to fact-check.
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Related:
Your move, Twitter! Citizen fact-checkers are using Birdwatch to call out AOC for accusing Ted Cruz of attempted murder https://t.co/oas8YqDeZI
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 28, 2021