Twitter reportedly might tackle fake news with a button, and we’re hoping it becomes a reality

Twitter is ramping up its efforts to combat fake news, and about time. We’ve noticed a proliferation of strange behavior on the social media app for some time now, and it ain’t pretty. Fake accounts can be purchased for next to nothing. They spread false information and inundate us with automated messages. Trolls target women and minorities and harass them repeatedly. Oh, and let’s not forget that extremist groups use it as a recruiting tool to lure potential members. All this to say, we’re very happy to hear that Twitter is making a serious effort to push back. 

According to The Washington Post, the company is reportedly developing a feature that would allow users to flag any misleading or false information.

Two people who are familiar with the project (and not authorized to speak officially on behalf of Twitter) revealed that the feature might look like a button in the drop-down menu alongside tweets. It’s extremely similar to a tab on Twitter that allows users to report harassment. But why is this still in prototype phase? 

When asked, Twitter spokesperson Emily Horne told The Washington Post:

“There are no current plans to launch any type of product along these lines. Additionally, she wouldn’t comment on whether or not Twitter was even testing this feature.

It’s okay. We have faith in you, Twitter. Earlier this year, Facebook, Twitter’s main competitor, made a serious push to combat fake news and fake advertisements on their platform.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, posted a Facebook status explaining his reasoning behind the concentrated effort:

"While we don't write the news stories you read and share, we also recognize we're more than just a distributor of news. We're a new kind of platform for public discourse — and that means we have a new kind of responsibility to enable people to have the most meaningful conversations, and to build a space where people can be informed."

Either way, we’re happy to know that these tech giants have our backs.