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| One in eight Twitter election shares 'link to junk news' | One in eight Twitter election shares 'link to junk news' |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| One in eight political stories shared on Twitter in the run-up to the general election is from a "junk news source", research suggests. | One in eight political stories shared on Twitter in the run-up to the general election is from a "junk news source", research suggests. |
| UK users shared one link from automated bot accounts promoting "junk" information for every four links to professionally produced news, according to the Oxford Internet Institute. | UK users shared one link from automated bot accounts promoting "junk" information for every four links to professionally produced news, according to the Oxford Internet Institute. |
| It said the amount of misinformation being spread was "concerning". | It said the amount of misinformation being spread was "concerning". |
| The study found content about the Labour Party dominated traffic. | The study found content about the Labour Party dominated traffic. |
| The research was based on an analysis of political news links shared by UK users in the first week of May. | The research was based on an analysis of political news links shared by UK users in the first week of May. |
| Of those shared, 53% linked to professional news and information sources, while 13% linked to junk news - stories that are misleading or conflate opinion and fact. | Of those shared, 53% linked to professional news and information sources, while 13% linked to junk news - stories that are misleading or conflate opinion and fact. |
| The rest of the sample included links to content created by politicians, experts and blogs. | The rest of the sample included links to content created by politicians, experts and blogs. |
| The study found users shared marginally worse quality news and information sources than German and French users, but far better than those in the US. | The study found users shared marginally worse quality news and information sources than German and French users, but far better than those in the US. |
| "It's concerning and shows that social media isn't the best source of political news", Monica Kaminska, one of the report's authors said. | "It's concerning and shows that social media isn't the best source of political news", Monica Kaminska, one of the report's authors said. |
| "We still have junk news, bots that are active, misinformation that is being spread. | "We still have junk news, bots that are active, misinformation that is being spread. |
| "[But] it seems to be the case that people are [still] sharing good quality news." | "[But] it seems to be the case that people are [still] sharing good quality news." |
| On Twitter, bots are accounts that are run remotely by someone who automates the messages they send and activities they carry out. | On Twitter, bots are accounts that are run remotely by someone who automates the messages they send and activities they carry out. |
| The battle against the bots | The battle against the bots |
| By Amol Rajan, BBC media editor | By Amol Rajan, BBC media editor |
| After the dramatic and close campaigns that led to Brexit and President Trump's election, there have been concerns about social media eroding democracy. | After the dramatic and close campaigns that led to Brexit and President Trump's election, there have been concerns about social media eroding democracy. |
| In particular, there have been allegations about how wealthy individuals or foreign powers buying advert space on social media, or using bots - automated software that mimics human behaviour - to influence how people vote. | In particular, there have been allegations about how wealthy individuals or foreign powers buying advert space on social media, or using bots - automated software that mimics human behaviour - to influence how people vote. |
| But this examination of the quality of news people in Britain can find on Twitter, which admittedly reaches fewer people than Facebook, is reassuring. | But this examination of the quality of news people in Britain can find on Twitter, which admittedly reaches fewer people than Facebook, is reassuring. |
| It is too soon to state conclusively why a higher calibre of news - that is, more truthful and transparent information - circulates online in Britain, but reasons may include the vastly greater sums spent on campaigning in the US, and the fact that broadcast news isn't regulated as tightly. | It is too soon to state conclusively why a higher calibre of news - that is, more truthful and transparent information - circulates online in Britain, but reasons may include the vastly greater sums spent on campaigning in the US, and the fact that broadcast news isn't regulated as tightly. |
| Juan Echeverria, a computer scientist at UCL, believes junk news is potentially more influential than overtly fake news. | Juan Echeverria, a computer scientist at UCL, believes junk news is potentially more influential than overtly fake news. |
| "If [stories] seem like they are true they can spread more effectively than clearly fake news that people can dismiss immediately. | "If [stories] seem like they are true they can spread more effectively than clearly fake news that people can dismiss immediately. |
| "The more you read of something even if you're just following a hashtag tweeted by bots, the more influence it has on you. | "The more you read of something even if you're just following a hashtag tweeted by bots, the more influence it has on you. |
| "Even just scrolling through the same information over and over again can make it seem more credible." | "Even just scrolling through the same information over and over again can make it seem more credible." |
| The Oxford Internet Institute report found content about the Labour Party tended to dominate traffic on Twitter. | The Oxford Internet Institute report found content about the Labour Party tended to dominate traffic on Twitter. |
| Bots associated with the Labour Party were more prolific than other political parties, generating a higher overall number of tweets for a similar number of automated accounts. | Bots associated with the Labour Party were more prolific than other political parties, generating a higher overall number of tweets for a similar number of automated accounts. |
| "It's difficult to say even whether the conversation is positive or negative about Labour", said Miss Kaminska. | |
| "[From] the hashtags that we've selected, I would lean towards saying the conversation is positive. | "[From] the hashtags that we've selected, I would lean towards saying the conversation is positive. |
| "[But] in comparison to the American election [bots] are less active. | "[But] in comparison to the American election [bots] are less active. |
| "We're concerned whether any automated accounts have been involved in propagating junk news and if this could increase." | "We're concerned whether any automated accounts have been involved in propagating junk news and if this could increase." |
| The research also found that a much smaller percentage of Russian news sources were shared by UK users of Twitter than France and Germany. | The research also found that a much smaller percentage of Russian news sources were shared by UK users of Twitter than France and Germany. |
| Twitter declined to comment on the study. | Twitter declined to comment on the study. |