For years, a group of science-loving “troll hunters” have gone after climate change deniers on Twitter. But the acquisition of Elon Musk has disrupted their efforts, leading to the return of many deleted accounts and thus misinformation.
Despite the threat climate change poses to the planet, disinformation around this topic has rarely been sanctioned on Twitter. But a secretive global community of around 25 scientists and activists, calling themselves Team Ninja Trollhunters (TNT), has found a devious way to tackle it.
Since its founding in 2019, TNT says it has secured the suspension of some 600 accounts of climate change deniers by reporting them for other crimes, including hate speech, which the platform officially recognizes as valid grounds for termination.
bullying and abuse
“If they say something racist, offensive or misogynistic, we can kick them out,” said a member of TNT in Germany, a scientist who asked to be identified as “Tom”. Like other TNT members interviewed by AFP, he demanded that his true identity not be disclosed to prevent online harassment.
This approach seemed to work before Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter last October. Since then, research by watchdog groups points to a rise in misinformation on the platform, as moderation was largely removed and a payment-for-money verification system has given the appearance of legitimacy and increased visibility. to theorists in exchange for money. conspiracy.
Worse yet, Elon Musk, a self-proclaimed advocate of unrestricted free speech, has restored what researchers believe are tens of thousands of accounts that were once suspended for violations, including incitement to violence, harassment, and harassment. disinformation. Asked by AFP, Twitter, like members of its sustainable development team fired after the takeover, refused to comment.
The reappearance of Holocaust denial accounts
Among the iconic examples cited by TNT, a Canada-based climate denier, who notably called climate change a “scam,” reported and then suspended for behavior deemed threatening and offensive, returned to Twitter in October 2022 under a different ID. .
A prominent American climate change denier, suspended in 2021 for “spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19,” has also resurfaced under a new identity and now even has a paid-for certified account and regularly posts misleading information to denialist hashtag. #ClimateScam.
Since October, Tom has considered this return of deleted accounts akin to a “flood.” So “we had to change tactics: less reporting of abusive accounts and more debunking of scientific claims,” he explained. “It’s hard to keep up.”
Report other posts
However, the old techniques of the group are still partially valid. In March, TNT succeeded in getting an Australia-based account removed that was spreading misinformation about the weather, including the claim that the Earth is getting colder and that carbon dioxide is not responsible for the warming.
The reason for his suspension, however, has nothing to do with the weather as it refers to “hateful conduct.” In fact, he was flagged by TNT for a tweet dealing with “UK immigration.”
But this tactic also has its downside: TNT sometimes has to justify itself, with some members occasionally flirting with boundaries by trying to goad Holocaust deniers into overstepping them.
During one exchange, one of them described a Holocaust denier as a “laughing lobotomized jerk”. So isn’t there a risk of becoming a troll in the name of “troll hunting”? An idea that Peter dismisses. “We don’t troll people. We only target accounts that misbehave.”
Source: BFM TV
