Search for the word 'climate” on Twitter; the first automatic recommendation isn't what you'd expect.
A sign at Twitter headquarters is shown in San Francisco, Dec. 8, 2022. New research shows climate misinformation has been flourishing on Twitter since Elon Musk purchased the platform last year. — AP Photo/Jeff ChiuSearch for the word"climate” on Twitter and the first automatic recommendation isn't"climate crisis” or"climate jobs” or even"climate change” but instead"climate scam.
"What's happening in the information ecosystem poses a direct threat to action," said Jennie King, head of climate research and response at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London-based nonprofit."It plants those seeds of doubt and makes people think maybe there isn't scientific consensus.” Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, allowed nearly 4,000 advertisements on its site - most bought by fossil fuel companies - that dismissed the scientific consensus behind climate change and criticized efforts to respond to it, the researchers found.
Under Musk, Twitter laid off thousands of employees and made changes to its content moderation that its critics said undercut the effort. In November, the company announced it would no longer enforce its policy against COVID-19 misinformation. Musk also reinstated many formerly banned users, including several who had spread misleading claims about climate change. Instances of hate speech and attacks on LGBTQ people soared.
Now, anyone willing to pay US$8 a month can seek a checkmark. Posts and replies from verified accounts are given an automatic boost on the platform, making them more visible than content from users who don't pay.
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