July 11, 2023
Meta’s new social media app, Threads, faced criticism from right-wing users who claimed that their accounts were being flagged for spreading false information.
The warning label stated, “This account has repeatedly posted false information that was reviewed by independent fact-checkers or went against our Community Guidelines.” The wording was similar to the prompts seen on Meta’s other platforms. Since Threads is closely connected to Instagram, it appears that Meta used an account’s existing reputation to inform Threads users about their history.
Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing social media figure, criticized the Threads app for censoring content and argued that it does not support free speech. Conservative influencers like DC Draino, Brandon Tatum, and Donald Trump Jr. reported receiving a warning on their accounts. However, Meta’s spokesperson, Andy Stone, acknowledged that one of these users was mistakenly flagged and assured that the issue has been resolved.
Meta has since acknowledged that at least one of the flagged users was falsely flagged, and the problem has been fixed. Users can now follow these accounts without encountering any warning labels. Nevertheless, some users remain concerned that Threads is censoring conservative voices.
Threads has since gained approximately 100 million users since its launch, presenting Twitter with its strongest competition to date.
The sources for this piece include an article in Mashable.
