Shopping on Twitter can bring 'individual or societal harm' to users

by IANS |

New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) Twitter shopping, which allows brands to list items for sale and tag products at the top of a merchant's profile, has content moderation risks and can lead to 'individual or societal harm', the media reported.

According to an internal company memo, obtained by The Verge, several elements of Twitter's e-commerce tool are categorised as "high" under "risk assessment".

"One high-risk concern is that merchant-generated fields like shop names and descriptions could be used by bad actors in harmful ways," read the memo.

Unlike Instagram, Twitter users can't buy the product directly on the platform as clicking on items for sale takes them to the merchant's website.

A key upcoming feature of Twitter's shopping is shareability, and the memo also listed this feature as high risk.

It said the shareability feature "could lead to harmful content being amplified further, increasing the visibility of content that violates Twitter rules".

"Shareable Shops therefore increase the likelihood that users may see violative Shops, or violative goods contained in a Shop," the memo read.

"It may also incentivise bad actors to amplify harmful or violative goods by tweeting and sharing their own Shop."

A company spokesperson said in a statement that the memo "was part of a new feature assessment led by the product trust team".

"We're always working to improve the safety of our service and that is particularly true for the addition of new products and features," the spokesperson said.

Twitter's shop feature allows anyone with a professional account selling items in the US to manually add products for sale to their profile.

Latest News
Top psephologist says PM Modi's connect with women to propel NDA to '400 paar' Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:48 PM
Covid-19 worsened 'silent' spread of antimicrobial resistance: WHO Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:42 PM
Govt working on setting up Maritime Development Fund akin to Power Finance Corp, REC Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:38 PM
Several killed and injured after junta airstrikes in Myanmar Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:35 PM
South Korea, Japan could consider simplified entry agreement amid warming ties: Seoul official Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:33 PM
CM Vijayan loses cool when asked if elections would be assessment of his governance Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:31 PM
Brand owners may look at chess GM Gukesh and others for endorsement deals Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:29 PM
Global connected car sales to exceed 500 million in 2030, India to be among top nations Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:11 PM
INDIA bloc aims to divide the country on religious grounds: UP CM Yogi Adityanath Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:07 PM
FairPoint: If mangoes were for bail, then CM Kejriwal would ride out of jail Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 04:01 PM
Hulkenberg to leave Haas for Sauber at the end of F1 season 2024 Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 03:54 PM
Kia's net profit up 32.5 pc in Q1; India sales drop due to aging models, geopolitical factors Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 03:47 PM
We will implement UCC in entire country, it is 'Modi ki Guarantee': Amit Shah Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 03:45 PM
Three dead after mini car falls into paddy field in Japan Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 03:09 PM
Amid scorching heat, Tripura East records 55 pc turnout till 1 p.m. Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 03:07 PM