Audio By Carbonatix
Beginning next week, Twitter will add labels to the personal accounts of heads of state as it expands its policy on government-affiliated accounts, the company said Thursday.
The labels are meant to provide context for users to “have a more informed experience on Twitter,” according to a blog post from Twitter Support.
This appears to be a change from an earlier position when the company said it would not label the personal accounts of heads of state since such accounts already have “widespread name recognition, media attention, and public awareness.”
To continue to help you identify governmental officials and institutions on Twitter, we’re expanding our policy to label these accounts in more countries.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) February 11, 2021
Next week, you’ll start to see new profile labels on government accounts in 16 other countries.https://t.co/RNyrznKQuL pic.twitter.com/poK4vIa5xZ
Twitter said it will also update the text in its labels to add more specificity and will apply additional labels to state-affiliated media accounts in the coming months.
The company has stopped amplifying tweets from accounts where a government “exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution.”
That doesn’t include news outlets that receive government funding but which have editorial independence.
In August, Twitter began applying labels to government officials’ accounts to more clearly identify them for users.
It started with government officials in China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US, and is adding Canada, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates beginning on February 17th.
Twitter declined to comment Thursday about whether it would apply additional protections to personal accounts of heads of state, but such protections apparently do exist.
In July, the accounts of dozens of companies and high-profile individuals were compromised during a massive breach that was part of a bitcoin-promoting scam, but the (now-banned) account of then-President Trump was unaffected.
It turned out that Trump’s account enjoyed additional protections after “past incidents.”
Trump was permanently banned from Twitter in January for inciting the deadly attack on the Capitol.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana Immigration Service trains officers ahead of nationwide e-visa rollout
41 minutes -
Trade Ministry prepares for US Chamber of Commerce Trade Mission
49 minutes -
We have all seen it – Kwakye Ofosu confirms early race to replace Mahama
60 minutes -
One dead, several injured in head-on crash on Wenchi-Subinso road
1 hour -
FABAG backs GSA fight against ‘unjustified’ port charges
1 hour -
Manasseh Azure Awuni: President Mahama, I feel ashamed
2 hours -
GNFS responds to diesel tanker accident at Asuboi, no casualties recorded
2 hours -
Charles Amissah’s family sues 3 hospitals, doctors and AG, seeks GH¢20m compensation
2 hours -
Ghana signs MOU with ‘Google for Education’ to strengthen digital literacy
2 hours -
Ghana’s economic activity strengthens, but business confidence eases to 12.6% – BoG
2 hours -
Galamsey: Ahafo Security Council disbands illegal mining site, seizes five excavators
2 hours -
GSA and German partners distribute calibrated scales to traders in Techiman
2 hours -
National Peace Council urges calm over rising political tensions
2 hours -
Ghana reaffirms commitment to peaceful cross-border governance and integration
2 hours -
‘I don’t see any faction amongst us’ – Bawumia urges unity in NPP
2 hours