The prompt tells users that retweeting without reading isn’t a great idea. | Image: Twitter
Twitter says it’s working on bringing its “read the article before you retweet it” prompt to all users “soon.” The company began testing the prompt in June, which shows up when people go to retweet a story they haven’t clicked through to actually read.
Twitter says its motivation is to “help promote informed discussion.” Headlines often don’t tell the whole story and can even be actively misleading. Encouraging people to at least read the article they’re sharing seems like a smart way to promote media literacy and stop some of the knee-jerk reactions that can make misinformation viral.
More reading – people open articles 40% more often after seeing the prompt
More informed Tweeting – people opening articles before RTing increased…