The 2020 U.S. presidential election is inching ever closer, and Twitter is trying to do its part to ensure a fair process. The platform announced late last year that it was banning political advertisements, with officials saying that political message reach “should be earned, not bought.”
This year, the company is taking another step by launching its own U.S. election hub. In a blog post, Twitter Public Policy Director Bridget Coyne said that launching the hub will help the company concentrate its efforts on informing consumers about election information they need to know.
“With just under 50 days to go until election day and when many Americans are already facing registration deadlines and preparing for early voting, we’re launching our 2020 U.S. election hub to make it simpler for people to find accurate information and resources on Twitter,” she said.
Providing election information
Users can check out the new election hub by looking at the top of their Explore tab on the platform. Within the hub, users will be able to read election-related news in both English and Spanish that is produced by “reputable news outlets” or by a team of curators within Twitter.
Additionally, the hub will feature region-specific election information so that users can learn about their own local and state elections -- including races for the House of Representatives, Senate, and governorship. Twitter will also host live streams of major election events like debates.
Finally, users will find public service announcements about voter education from nonpartisan government groups and voting advocacy organizations.
“Twitter wants to empower every eligible person to vote in the 2020 U.S. election, and we’re focused on helping people register, better understand the voting process during COVID-19 including early voting options, and feel informed about the choices on their ballot,” Coyne said.