Threads and misinformation: “it’s complicated”

Threads is not Twitter, but is already dangerously close to it on this point.

The new social network signed Meta is not yet a week old and already has changed one of its features so as not to upset the most prolific fake news broadcasters. A return to basics for the company, which definitely knows how to create engagement on its platforms.

For once, you could have taken advantage of the data collected by Meta

If you have an account with at least one of Meta’s services (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and now Threads), it’s no mystery Mark Zuckerberg’s company knows a lot about you. Regularly condemned for the collection and use of this personal data, the social network giant does not seem to be in a hurry to change its practices, which explains in particular that the “ Twitter replacement is not yet available in Europe.

This new platform was therefore not completely unknown to users when it was released, especially since it is linked to Instagram. But for once, the information already known by Threads was put a little at the service of the users. If anyone wanted to subscribe to an account, even a newly created one, of someone already pinned for sharing misinformation, a popup informed them. Without stopping him, the message read: Are you sure you want to follow [profil] ? This account has repeatedly posted false information, judged as such by independent fact checkers. A compromise à la Meta, which probably didn’t want to ban these accounts and the engagement they will necessarily create, while showing regulators their credentials. Unsurprisingly, this did not please anyone.

The far right disproportionately affected by these messages

From the start, many accounts of American right-wing influencers posted screenshots of the message to explain to the media that they were being censored. Among these was Donald Trump Junior, the son of the former president of the United States.

In the face of these criticisms, Meta immediately went to bed, and the warning message no longer appears on these accounts. A leader of the group, Andy Stone, himself explained to Trump’s son that it was a mistake that would never happen again. However, this will probably not be enough for the people initially concerned, who have already made up their minds on this new social network.

Meta was probably afraid of his ambition. After all, the company had been waiting for a coup attempt to temporarily suspend many accounts of America’s far-right, including its President Donald Trump.

Sources: Mashable, Uproxx