Coronavirus Outbreak: Twitter Verifying more health experts accounts to fight fake information of COVID19
San Francisco: Microblogging site Twitter is likely to verify accounts for health experts to battle the spread of misinformation in the wake of a coronavirus outbreak.
Twitter verification is halted since 2017, but from time to time Twitter verifies accounts that have impersonation issues. Kayvon beykpour (Leading product at Twitter) confirm in a tweet.
on 20th March 2020, The Company Tweeted
We are working with global public health authorities to identify experts and have already Verified hundreds of accounts,
Last week, New York Times writer Jennifer Senior raised an entirely valid question around verification about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hey, @jack: Is there a reason why esteemed epidemiologists and contagion experts and virologists like @NAChristakis, @mlipsitch, @trvrb, and @florian_krammer aren't verified, while verified kooks are still spreading misinformation? They're indispensable voices right now. Thanks.
— Jennifer Senior (@JenSeniorNY) March 19, 2020
Kayvon Beykpour (leading product at Twitter) responded to Jennifer and confirmed that “Twitter will verify health experts”
We have been Verifying experts who have been providing credible updates around COVID-19. See below if you are (or know of) somebody that fits this criteria. https://t.co/kyzfvAHqgN
— Kayvon Beykpour (@kayvz) March 21, 2020
On other hand, Twitter officially tweeted regarding verification due to coronavirus outbreak
PSA about what we’re doing to Verify Twitter accounts that are providing credible updates around #COVID19: we are working with global public health authorities to identify experts and have already Verified hundreds of accounts, but there’s more to do and we could use your help.
— Support (@Support) March 21, 2020
Twitter confirmed that it was working to action such, and get relevant experts in the field verified as soon as possible.
We are prioritizing Verification for Twitter accounts that have an email address associated with an authoritative organization or institution,” the company wrote. “Please also ensure your Twitter bio references (and links to) the institution you are associated with, and that the page you link to includes a reference back to your Twitter account.
A Twitter spokesperson said the company is currently working with partner organizations like the World Health Organization to identify accounts that should be verified due to coronavirus outbreaks.
Additionally, the company will “likely” open up a public-facing form that will allow health experts to directly request verification from Twitter, according to Twitter product lead Kayvon Beykpour. “We’ll likely share a link to an intake form soon for experts to fill out to request verification too– just working on a way to better separate likely noise from the signal,” he said.
