Twitter has launched “Birdwatch,” a fact-checking program that’s intended to counter misinformation.The program is currently available to a small number of users. The pilot iteration will only be available to approximately 1000 US Twitter users.🐦 Today we’re introducing @Birdwatch, a community-driven approach to addressing misleading information. And we want your help. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/aYJILZ7iKB— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) January 25, 2021Somewhat similar to TikTok’s new feature, users can add notes to tweets to provide context. Notes from participants in the pilot program won’t be publicly visible on Twitter.Birdwatch testing (Image Via Twitter)A spokesperson for Twitter said:“We know there are a number of challenges toward building a community-driven system like this, ensuring it is resistant to manipulation attempts and isn’t dominated by a simple majority or biasedly based.”A while back, the platform took steps to try and combat election misinformation during the US presidential campaign. It labeled tweets with false or misleading information about the election to help users make more informed decisions.What does the Twitter community have to say?While Twitter’s new “Birdwatch” feature would be beneficial for fact-checking, the question arises about who decides these facts? Several users raised concerns and voiced opinions about this new program.You realize that you just set up mob rule right?— Dennis Wingo (@wingod) January 25, 2021“Cancel Culture” spreads faster than wildfire on social media platforms. With Twitter’s new program set in place, a potential group of people will have the power to ‘cancel’ other groups’ opinions. Such action can be taken merely based on disagreeing with their beliefs rather than a proper fact check.One Twitter user wrote:“So basically a group of ideologically aligned people can get on here, and basically take down anything they don’t agree with.”The program indeed has the potential to do well, but most users pointed out that information disliked by one group could be flagged as misinformation by another.It’s about time for all conservatives to leave Twitter . Let them find something else to do besides obsess over conservatives— Brandy1137🇺🇸❤️🗽🌴 (@brandy1137) January 27, 2021This is community self-policing, so that the company isn’t deciding what kind of speech is allowed... like, democracy, you know? I’ll pass on authoritarian solutions, thanks.— Ashtyn (@dancingwcoyote) January 25, 2021Twitter controversyTwitter recently came under fire after it refused to take down sensitive material because it did not violate company policy. The platform was caught up in controversy after allegedly refusing to take down widely shared sensitive images and videos of a child sex trafficking victim.Users were not thrilled that Twitter is yet to address these issues on its platform.I am once again asking for an option to report illegal materials of children directly from the tweet, & a report option for reporting p*dos from a tweet, which you still don't have after over a decade of this shit happening on your site. Thank you for yet another useless feature.— 𝙁𝘼𝙏𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀𝙍69 (@Virescence) January 25, 2021twitter has an animal abuse issue as well that they need to get their act together with— Claire🎄🦋♒️ (@KaldoreiLights) January 27, 2021Will “Birdwatch” work?The majority of the Twitter community unanimously agrees that, while the program may have good intentions, the outcome could be very different. From maligning minority groups to labeling tweets only due to differences of opinion, a lot could go wrong with this initiative....and hard-right nonsense— Martin Fisher (@FlyingFish1960) January 28, 2021Here are a few light-hearted reactions to this pilot program:Stasi 3.0 look n feel, for your own good!Who would trust The People to truly understand what they really want?— Aiyana Raven 🏴 (@AiyanaRa) February 3, 2021My cousin's friend is a pearl diver who got swallowed by a whale when he was trying to put a cursed pearl back into its shell (long story). Seal Team Six rescued him but then he died of not drinking enough water / not thinking positive. The government counted it as a COVID death.— ben "slenderben" flores (@limitlessjest) January 25, 2021I know what you mean.Good times :)— Tornadoman4 (@Tornadoman41) January 27, 2021One user, however, did raise a very concerning matter regarding the “birdwatch” program:Then you got one guy with a variety of independent-looking IPs who can both create and pretend to combat misleading information, while just taking everyone else along for the ride. Seems healthy.— patrick grumps (@grump_online) January 25, 2021It’s difficult to ascertain the outcome of this program as there are many parameters to take into consideration. Hopefully, Twitter will work around all the flaws above and create a foolproof fact check system.