X, formerly known as Twitter, has introduced a new feature to enhance its fact-checking system, Community Notes, which originated as Twitter’s Birdwatch. This update allows users to request clarifications for posts that may contain misleading information.
The new capability, currently available through a pilot program on the web version of X, will soon extend to Android and iOS platforms. This feature aims to address problematic posts by soliciting fact-checks from top contributors within the Community Notes system.
Eligible users can request fact-checking by selecting the “•••” menu on a post and submitting a request for a Community Note. If a post receives at least five requests within 24 hours, a Community Note will be added.
Initially, only users with verified phone numbers can make these requests, and they are limited to five requests per day. This limitation is intended to prevent spam and ensure that contributors focus on posts deemed to need clarification.
Top contributors, whose status is determined by the helpfulness and impact of their notes, will be notified to respond to requests for Community Notes. Contributors can lose or gain their top status based on user ratings of their notes.
The platform emphasizes the importance of notes containing accurate and high-quality information, and partners with professional reviewers to maintain these standards. X aims for the notes to be broadly helpful and not just seen as valuable from a single perspective.
During the pilot phase, half of the top contributors will also have the ability to request notes, helping X assess the benefits of allowing contributors to both write and request notes.
The platform’s criteria for requesting notes are simple initially, with plans to refine them based on the pilot’s results. This iterative approach aims to enhance the value of requests while minimizing noise.
The launch of this feature aligns with growing concerns about misinformation. The World Economic Forum has highlighted misinformation as a major global risk, potentially leading to severe consequences such as civil unrest and increased government control over information.
Despite X’s efforts with Community Notes, some officials, including those from the EU, question the effectiveness of this approach compared to direct content removal.
X has implemented measures to address potential abuse of Community Notes, including monitoring for declining quality and adjusting thresholds as needed. While Community Notes has gained significant traction, its impact on X’s news and information ecosystem, including its chatbot Grok, remains unclear.
Recent reports suggest that Grok, despite its integration with Community Notes, still struggles with distinguishing between accurate news and misinformation, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing content on the platform.
