Twitter announces new measures for "disputed or misleading" posts about COVID-19

Twitter is deploying new labels and warning messages to alert users about tweets deemed to contain "disputed or misleading information" pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus-related content that gets slapped with a label "will link to a Twitter-curated page or external trusted source containing additional information on the claims made within the Tweet," the company explained Monday.

Some posts will be obscured from view by a warning that covers the tweet before someone looks at it.

"These warnings will inform people that the information in the Tweet conflicts with public health experts’ guidance before they view it," Twitter explains.

"Our teams are using and improving on internal systems to proactively monitor content related to COVID-19," Twitter said. "These systems help ensure we’re not amplifying Tweets with these warnings or labels and detecting the high-visibility content quickly. Additionally, we’ll continue to rely on trusted partners to identify content that is likely to result in offline harm. Given the dynamic situation, we will prioritize review and labeling of content that could lead to increased exposure or transmission."

The social media giant's move comes as some people have long expressed concerns about social media censorship.