Free Speech vs Public Safety

Where is the line between freedom of speech and public safety measures? It might be a little unclear. Twitter recently announced a new effort to curb COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, and their efforts entail strict regulations. For some, this might be a no-brainer, but to others, it may feel like an infringement upon their rights. As a platform frequently used to obtain news highlights, is it Twitter's responsibility to ensure the information is accurate?

Before we dive into that question, let's take a closer look at Twitter's efforts. According to an article published by Social Media Today, Twitter labels all posts that appear to spread false information about the vaccine as "misleading." Additionally, they encourage Twitter users to read more about the COVID-19 vaccines before retweeting a misleading message. The graphic below, from Social Media Today, illustrates how tweets are marked as misleading, and a brief notification people receive when they attempt to retweet a misleading message. The efforts to share factual COVID-19 articles with users before they retweet a message have effectively encouraged 40% of the users to read more about the vaccine.

Of course with these efforts, people still have the ability to say and retweet anything about the vaccines; however, Twitter has now devised a system that will suspend repeat offenders.

The consequences are as follows:

First Offense - No action

Second Offense - 12-hour account lock

Third Offense - 12-hour account lock

Fourth Offense - 7-day account lock

Fifth + Offense - Permanent suspension

If a Twitter user is suspended they can appeal their suspense for a re-evaluation.

Spreading false information about vaccines can cause widespread misunderstandings and stigmas against efforts that are considered safe by medical professionals. This can put a huge portion of the population at risk, so when is it time for the platform to intervene?

In my opinion, their efforts to educate the public are well executed. When it comes to account locks and suspensions I would expect some pushback. Despite Twitter's efforts to educate the public, it is likely not everyone will be on the same page regarding vaccine safety. A misinformed user could feel that their rights are violated, although I do not feel this is the case.

Not everyone may agree because the line between freedom of speech and public safety is not straightforward. There are many factors to consider, but with Twitter being such a huge news distributer, they might want to make an effort to prevent all different types of fake news - especially if it puts people at risk.

What do you think about their efforts? Are they crossing a line? Is it Twitter's place to create restrictions? As a marketer, these are ethical questions to consider, but everyone is welcome to have an opinion. Post what you think in the comments!

Source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/twitter-ramps-up-efforts-to-tackle-covid-19-vaccine-misinformation/595980/