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
Denne historien er fra November 10, 2023-utgaven av Newsweek US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 10, 2023-utgaven av Newsweek US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Terry Crews
FOR TERRY CREWS, THERE ARE NO RULES.
Carrie Coon
CARRIE COON IS HAVING A MOMENT, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT RECognize her.
Still Doin' It Well
Ahead of the release of his new album, The FORCE, LL Cool J told Newsweek of his strong desire to keep contributing to the hip-hop culture he helped create
WORLD'S MOST TRUSTWORTHY COMPANIES 2024
TRUST IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY RELATIONSHIP-FROM PERsonal relationships to ties between businesses and consumers.
HOPE and HEALING on HORSEBACK
IT'S BEEN A DECADE SINCE ISIS COMMITTED GENOCIDE AGAINST IRAQ'S YAZIDI POPULATION. MORE THAN 100,000 YAZIDIS REMAIN DISPLACED BUT WORKERS AND ANIMALS AT AN EQUINE THERAPY CENTER ARE PROVIDING RELIEF
Is College Worth It?
AMERICANS are LOSING FAITH in HIGHER EDUCATION amid RISING TUITION FEES, UNCERTAIN PAYOFF and CULTURE WARS on CAMPUS
An integrated model for water management
Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies has deep expertise and synergistic capabilities across the full water and wastewater value chain
Investments that are transforming life in Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Al Othaim Investment Company is creating distinctive destinations and experiences that encompass multiple sectors
A Kinder and Gentler Nick Cave
After a period of personal upheaval, the famed Bad Seeds singer returns with the vibrant and optimistic 'Wild God'
Fleeing War and Scams
Newsweek spoke to three Ukrainians who have been targeted by \"sponsors\" trying to profit from applicants seeking refuge in the U.S. via a humanitarian scheme