Twitter starts applying a label to tweets containing synthetic or deceptively edited forms of media, as social media platforms brace for a potential onslaught of misinformation ahead of the 2020 presidential election. The company also said it would remove any deliberately misleading manipulated media likely to cause harm, including content that could result in threats to physical safety, widespread civil unrest, voter suppression or privacy risks.

Twitter said that that, beginning March 5, it will start to add warning labels to tweets that contain videos with "synthetic and manipulated media," and that it will remove them entirely when they are likely to "cause serious harm." Notably, Twitter's policy isn't limited to just "deepfakes," typically understood as videos that are manipulated using AI-powered technology. During a meet  with reporters, Twitter executives repeatedly pointed out that their policy would cover videos that were edited using more basic editing tools as well. 

"Our approach does not focus on the specific technology used to manipulate or fabricate media," Twitter's head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, said. "Whether you're using advanced machine learning tools, or just slowing down a video using a 99 cent app on your phone, our focus under this policy is to look at the outcome, not how it was achieved."

Under the new rules, which Twitter described as a "living document" that could change over time, the company says it can take a range of actions, depending on the video and the context in which it's shared. In some cases, the tweets will be given warning labels that might appear before the tweet is liked or retweeted. And, in a Facebook-like move, the tweet could also be subjected to "reduced visibility." 

Facebook said it would label the video as false, but that it would continue to be allowed on the platform as “only videos generated by artificial intelligence to depict people saying fictional things will be taken down.”

Twitter under its new policy will similarly apply a “false” warning label to any photos or videos that have been “significantly and deceptively altered or fabricated,” although it will not differentiate between the technologies used to manipulate a piece of media.  Twitter would consider user reports and build relationships with “third party experts” to identify content.