Twitter has implemented a new method for displaying tweets in your timeline. It is based on the concept “Freedom of Speech, Not Freedom of Reach,” which is not a new rule but rather a clarification of an existing one.
The company’s stated objective for Twitter 2.0 is to support and safeguard public discourse. Twitter introduced verified organisations globally last month.
Twitter’s view on freedom of speech and how to reach people
Twitter believes that its users should be able to freely express their ideas and opinions. However, they are also responsible for protecting consumers from content that violates their policies.
To accomplish this, Twitter adheres to a philosophy known as “Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Reach,” in which tweets that violate their policies are made less discoverable to limit their reach.
Twitter’s enforcement actions should be open to the public
Twitter’s strategy for limiting the reach of tweets enables them to go beyond the conventional approach to content moderation. In the past, they have not been forthcoming regarding this matter. Twitter has announced that they will add labels to tweets that violate their policies and limit their visibility in order to resolve this issue.
The labels will display the specific policy that the tweet has violated and will be visible to both the tweet’s author and other platform users. In addition, Twitter will not position advertisements adjacent to content with labels. It is possible for authors to provide feedback on the label, but this does not guarantee a response or a restoration of reach.
Twitter’s Promise to Keep People Safe
Twitter intends to apply these designations to additional policy areas in the future. The company claims that it is committed to maintaining a secure environment for communication on the platform by removing illegal content and suspending bad actors.
Regarding the update, Twitter, said:
We want Twitter 2.0 to be a place where people can freely and securely express their opinions and ideas. Because of this, we adhere to Freedom of Speech rather than Freedom of Reach, a principle that limits the visibility of tweets that violate our Rules. Today, we are pleased to announce a new method for enforcing our policies that reflects this principle and demonstrates our commitment to openness.
