Twitter CEO vows to curb misinformation

New Delhi: Admitting that fighting fake news is no easy task, Twitter Co-Founder and CEO Jack Dorsey on Monday said the social network is taking “multi-variable” steps, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), to curb the spread of misleading information ahead of 2019 general elections in India. Addressing a town-hall meeting at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-Delhi), Dorsey said the fake news is a way too big category. “The real problem is not misinformation per se as jokes can also be categorized as misinformation. But misinformation that is spread with the intent to mislead people is a real problem,” stressed the Twitter CEO who is in India for a week-long maiden visit.

Dorsey, who got a rousing reception at IIT-Delhi with the students cheering the young entrepreneur with screams, likened solving the problem of misleading information to that of addressing a security issue or building a lock. “No one can build a perfect lock, but we need to stay ahead of our attackers. AI could probably help,” Dorsey told the audience. Conversations, Dorsey said, can help solve a lot of problems and encouraged the youth to ask tough questions to their leaders. “You should ask your leaders what they are doing about solving global problems like climate change or what they are doing about having universal basic income,” he told the audience.

Responding to a question on “edit button” on Twitter, he said it has been under consideration for quite some time now, but they are yet to find a suitable way to roll out the feature for its over 326 million active users. The “edit button” would eventually allow people to tweak the conversation. Responding to a question on fears of AI displacing jobs, Dorsey said it was not something waiting to happen. “AI is already displacing jobs. Programming will be done by AI and Machine Learning,” he said, adding that the important point for people is to consider what decisions people want algorithms to take and what decisions they want to take for themselves.

Twitter India also launched a new initiative titled #PowerOf18 at the event, aimed at encouraging youth to contribute in public debates and participate in civic engagement for the upcoming election season. (IANS)

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