NEARLY THREE-FOURTHS OF THE MOST VIRAL posts on X advancing misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war are being pushed by "verified" X Premium accounts, a NewsGuard analysis has found.
In March 2023, X owner Elon Musk overhauled the platform's verification system, allowing users to pay a fee of $8 a month to become X Premium users. Premium accounts display a blue checkmark on their profile and have their posts prioritized by the algorithm used by X (previously known as Twitter). This means that they appear higher, with greater prominence, in users' replies and search results. That decision turned out to be a boon for bad actors sharing misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war. For less than the cost of a movie ticket, they have gained the added credibility associated with the once-prestigious blue checkmark, enabling them to reach a larger audience.
During the first week of the conflict (October 7 to October 14), NewsGuard analyzed the 250 most-engaged posts (likes, reposts, replies and bookmarks) promoting one of 10 prominent false or unsubstantiated narratives relating to the war, derived from NewsGuard's Misinformation Fingerprints, its proprietary database of prominent false narratives. The results revealed that 186 out of these 250 posts-74 percent were shared by accounts verified by X.
These are the 10 false or unsubstantiated claims identified by NewsGuard shared by these verified accounts:
▸ Ukraine sold weapons to Hamas
▸Israel has killed 33,000 Palestinian children since 2008
▸ A video shows Israeli or Palestinian children in cages
▸ A video shows Israeli senior officials captured by Hamas The Saint Porphyrios Orthodox Church in Gaza was destroyed by Israeli bombing
▸ A video shows Hamas fighters celebrating the abduction of an Israeli toddler
▸ CNN staged footage of its news crew under attack in Israel
この記事は Newsweek US の November 10, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Newsweek US の November 10, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Ray Romano
\"I read about three scripts, and at the end of each there was a little twist, a little turn, [and] it was funny.\"
Has J.K. Rowling Won the Culture War?
After years of backlash over trans issues, the Harry Potter author has received major business backing
Nothin' Lasts Forever
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour' ends its record-breaking run..
SPY IN THE SKY
CHINA FACES ACCUSATIONS of ESPIONAGE and WEAPONIZING OUTER SPACE as it BUILDS a NEW OBSERVATORY in CHILE critics say WILL BE USED for MILITARY PURPOSES
'This Murder Is a Symbol of the Times'
Conservatives and liberals agree on the state of the health care industry following the killing of Brian Thompson
The Defense Industry's Fight With ESG
EUROPEAN DEFENSE COMPANIES, ESPECIALLY smaller businesses, are being blocked from investment they sorely need by sustainability rules, a senior NATO official and several industry figures have said.
Margo Martindale
Jamie Lee [Curtis, producer] called me and she says, \"Jamie Lee Curtis here. I have a project for you. And you're gonna do it.\"
Malala Yousafzai
\"AFGHANISTAN IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE world where girls are banned from access to education and women are limited from work.\"
In the Eyes of the Law
Jude Law is unrecognizable as an FBI agent on the trail of aneo-Naziterrorist group in real-crime drama The Order
Gonzo Intelligence
Instead of keeping a low profile, Moscow's spies are embracing the limelight and even being welcomed home by Vladimir Putin after their cover is blown
