With Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, climate experts fear a rise in misinformation

Paris:

Climate deniers looking to block action and “greenwashing” companies after Elon Musk’s takeover could take free rein on Twitter, analysts warn as leaders pursue anti-warming efforts at the COP27 summit.

Tesla’s billionaire and self-proclaimed free-speech absolutist has fired thousands of employees – with sustainability executives Sean Boyle and Casey Junod among those signing off the platform last week.

Mr Musk has promised to ease Twitter’s content restrictions and announced plans to create a “content moderation council” to review policies after the acquisition.

“It is unclear what exactly Mr. Musk plans to do. However… if he removes all efforts at content moderation, we can expect an increase of disinformation, as well as deceptive and greenwashing You can expect an increase in advertisements,” said Naomi Oreskes, a professor in the history of science at Harvard University who conducted the pioneering study on climate misinformation.

“Greenwashing” refers to companies misleading the public about their impact on the planet through messages and gestures.

“We may see an increase in hateful comments directed towards climate scientists and advocates, especially women,” Oreskes said.

After the purchase, a climate journalist tweeted that she had received death threats on the platform. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

stability execution ax

Researchers and campaigners say that despite measures announced by social forums, climate misinformation continues to flourish, undermining confidence in climate change and the necessary action to combat it.

Twitter and other tech giants such as Facebook and Google have said they are working to make false claims less visible.

But a detailed study this year by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue think tank said messages aimed to “deny, deceive and delay” climate action were prevalent on social media.

Under Twitter’s policy prior to the acquisition, it said “deceptive advertising on Twitter that contradict the scientific consensus on climate change is prohibited”.

“We believe that climate denialism should not be monetized on Twitter, and that misrepresentation of ads should not detract from critical conversations about the climate crisis,” said Mr. Boyle and Mr. Junod on Twitter’s blog. But wrote in an Earth Day post.

The two posted messages with the hashtag “Love Where You Worked” on November 4, indicating they were among those laid off following the $44 million acquisition of Mr. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

scientists at risk

In addition to false information, some experts have warned that climate scientists themselves face dangers if moderation falters.

The surge in hate speech prompted Twitter’s head of security and integrity, Joel Roth, to respond, trying to assuage concerns. He tweeted that the platform’s “core moderation capabilities remain in place”.

Mr Musk wrote on 4 November that “Twitter’s strong commitment to content moderation remains absolutely unchanged.”

“I’m concerned that scientific lies, led by Mr. Musk, will get a bigger platform on Twitter,” said Genevieve Guenther, founder of Media Activism Group and Climate Silence.

“But what worries me even more is that the website will begin to alienate climate scientists and advocates who criticize right-wing views, preventing them from connecting with each other and with the media and decision-makers in government.”

Blue tick in COP?

Mr Musk’s plans include an $8 monthly fee for users to have blue ticks in his name – currently a symbol of authenticity for executives, celebrities, journalists and others.

“For me, this is opening the door to highly coordinated disinformation and manipulation,” said Melissa Aronczyk, an associate professor of communications and information at Rutgers University.

Mr Musk said the move is aimed at reducing hate speech by making it too expensive for trolls to have more than one account.

Ms Aronczyk argued that the system would give a mark of authenticity to those willing to pay for blue ticks to advance an agenda.

He pointed to the controversy that Hill + Knowlton Strategies – a PR company working for large fossil fuel companies – was reportedly hired by host Egypt to handle public relations for the COP27 summit.

“Picture every Hill + Knowlton employee working for COP27 creating a network of blue-check accounts to promote business-led initiatives to the summit. Or reduce conflicts. Or ignore protests,” Ms. Aronzik said.

“It’s basically letting corporate greenwashing become the default communication style around climate change.”

(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)