Twitter formally launches labels to determine the ‘good bots’

Twitter final fall launched a brand new label that might permit what it calls the “good bots” on its service to determine themselves. Whereas the phrase “bot” can typically have a unfavorable connotation, Twitter famous there have been helpful bots, too, which have been mechanically tweeting out helpful data like Covid-19 updates, earthquake alerts, payments being launched in Congres, and extra. These “good bot” labels, which had been in testing with a small group, at the moment are publicly obtainable to all automated account holders.

As throughout assessments, the Twitter accounts that label themselves as bots will show this data on their Twitter profile. Beneath the account’s identify and @username, a small, robotic icon seems subsequent to the phrases “Automated by” adopted by the identify of the account’s operator. The Twitter bio, in the meantime, will element the bot’s function.

When the bots tweet, their automated standing can even be seen in customers’ timelines.

Twitter says this data will assist customers to determine which accounts to observe, interact with and belief.

The account labels had been first made obtainable to some 500 Twitter developer accounts in September who examined the characteristic and supplied suggestions, together with bots like @earthquakesSF, @vax_progress, @last100bills, @AltTxtReminder, @met_drawings, and @EmojiMashupBot. These accounts represented a variety of bot use from vital updates to fascinating data to enjoyable content material.

Along with the “good bots,” many individuals automate their Twitter accounts in different methods — like utilizing IFTTT integrations to tweet out hyperlinks, for instance. However Twitter has been much less involved about that kind of automated tweeting, it mentioned — noting solely that customers ought to examine any third-party utility they use with their account and ensure to observe Twitter’s guidelines.

The bot labels, whereas helpful, don’t essentially tackle the bigger challenge with bots on Twitter’s service.

The dangerous bots can vary from the annoying — like bots that tweet spam (or promote cryptocurrency schemes!) — to the extra worrisome, like bots that attempt to affect upcoming elections. As an opt-in system, bot homeowners who’re attempting to do good with their creations will be capable of add labels and promote themselves because the individual behind the account. However dangerous bots received’t take part.

The characteristic is at present obtainable to automated accounts that use the Twitter API. However Twitter says there isn’t a auditing of the system for now.

“All accounts on Twitter are topic to the Twitter Guidelines,” a Twitter spokesperson mentioned. “Because the label is opt-in solely, we won’t be auditing accounts that select to undertake it presently and can depend on our reporting course of ought to an account violate the Guidelines.”

Twitter will focus on the information additional on a Twitter Space at 3 PM PT at present hosted by the Twitter Safety team, which might be adopted by a developer demo on TwitterDev’s Twitch channel on Thursday at 11 am PT.