Facebook, Twitter will not be attending SXSW due to coronavirus concerns

Social media companies Facebook and Twitter have announced that they will be pulling out of the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW). Both companies cited concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

Click to read more ...

Twitter introduces threaded replies to iOS app

After giving trying its new conversation features on its "twttr" experiments app, Twitter is ready to bring the first change to its main app. The iOS Twitter app will be featuring the new replies design. The app will now have threaded replies to make it easier to follow a conversation around a tweet. The update is made on Twitter's end, so you don't have to do anything from your end. The Android and web versions should come soon. Both are expected to get new "twttr" features in the first quarter of this year.

Twitter works on preventing misinformation about coronavirus on its platform

With both news and misinformation abound about the contagious coronavirus, Twitter is hoping to direct its users' attention to more credible and official sources of information. The social network has partnered with Canada and other nations like Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the U.S. and Vietnam affected by the problem. Those who search for information in those countries will get a pinned message linking them back to the official health agency in those countries. So, for Canada, it links back to the Public Health Agency of Canada's information on the coronavirus. 

Twitter is also putting a stop to any auto-suggest results that might direct users to non-credible content. The company said in a blog post that it is working with the Global Public Policy team to find ways to integrate organizations working to contain the coronavirus. Twitter says it hasn't seen any significant coordinated attempts to spread disinformation at scale, but it is on the lookout for them. And it promises to remove users who engage in malicious practices on its platform. 

Twitter's new tool lets users report election misinformation

Twitter is hoping to put a stop to the spread of misinformation regarding elections on its platform. You can report any misleading information related to elections or other types of civic events. You will be able to indicate if a post has false information about where or how to vote, and whether it's intended to suppress or intimidate someone from voting. You can also report a tweet if "it is misrepresenting its affiliation with or impersonating a candidate, elected official, political party, or government entity."