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Stopping the spread of misinformation: social media managers weigh-in

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By Amy Houston, Senior Reporter

January 12, 2021 | 4 min read

Over the course of Donald Trump's four-year presidency, many prominent figures including lawmakers and celebrities have called on big tech companies to ban him from social media platforms due to his propensity to post often erratic and incorrect information.

The Drum's Twitter community weigh-in on curbing the spread of misinformation

The Drum's Twitter community weigh-in on stopping the spread of misinformation

At long last, on 8 January, Twitter permanently suspended the outgoing president's account citing the “risk of further incitement of violence.”

TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit are among the platforms that have since followed suit in re-evaluating their relationship with Trump.

In the past, major tech platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have come under heavy fire for not doing enough to combat the spread of misinformation and in light of the violence at Capitol Hill last week, many feel that this ban is too little too late.

Social feeds have been a breeding ground for the spread of misinformation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and on the topic of other major global events, such as Brexit and the US election.

It’s a hotly debated subject, but is regulation really the answer? Or is the onus on education to equip people with the necessary tools to navigate platforms safely?

Moving forward it is clear that big Silicon Valley players will have to continue to monitor misinformation more proactively. The Drum asked our Twitter community for their thoughts.

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