Twitter adds election hub to elevate 'reputable' news and voting info
Twitter is adding a 'US elections' tab to the Explore section of its app.
Twitter recently introduced a new election misinformation policy that allows it to take more aggressive action on tweets that could undermine election results. Now, the company is taking new steps to promote official election information to its users ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Twitter is introducing a dedicated place for election news on its platform with a new “US elections” tab in the Explore section of its app and website. According to Twitter, the hub is meant to “make it simpler for people to find accurate information and resources on Twitter.”
It will serve as a centralized hub for voting resources and ballot information, as well as election-related news. The company will highlight election-specific Moments from “reputable news outlets,” for example, as well as live streams of official events like the upcoming debates. Twitter will also promote PSAs to educate users about how to vote, including how to request an absentee ballot.
The new hub comes as Twitter and other platforms try to shore up their services ahead of the 2020 election. With more people expected to vote by mail than in previous years, experts have warned that companies need to do more to prevent disinformation from spreading, especially if a winner isn’t immediately clear on election night. Twitter, along with Facebook, Google and Microsoft, also recently met with government agencies to discuss election security.
