Twitter drops labels on major news accounts
Many high-profile Twitter media accounts have lost their labels describing their affiliations or funding models, following major changes on the social media platform. On Friday, several media outlets that previously had tags such as "government funded" no longer displayed them. The BBC, Russia's RT and NPR in the US are among the accounts affected. It follows a row between Twitter and several media outlets over how their accounts are described. A number of news organisations, including US public broadcaster NPR and Canada's CBC, have suspended activity on Twitter after they were recently given "government funded" labels. They said the description was inaccurate and undermined their credibility as independent news organisations. The BBC also complained last week after it was given a "government funded" instead of "publicly funded" media label. Twitter owner Elon Musk eventually amended it , saying his social media platform was "trying to be accurate". But on Friday the "publicly funded" label also disappeared from the BBC's Twitter profile. And labels indicating the origins of the funding behind major organisations like China's official Xinhua news agency or RT from Russia have also been removed. They were originally introduced to highlight which accounts were linked to state media or government officials, especially from China and Russia. Other changes have taken place on the social media platform overnight. Twitter users who don't pay a monthly subscription have now lost their blue tick verification mark - including Beyonce, Donald Trump and Cristiano Ronaldo. Twitter removes Beyonce and Ronaldo's blue ticks Elon Musk changes BBC Twitter account's label Morocco rescuers dig with bare hands as foreign aid sent US denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visit How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine G20 language How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine G20 language US denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visit 'Everyone in this village is either dead or missing' A Serbian scientist's long quest to name Srebrenica's dead How chronic pain feels for me. Video How chronic pain feels for me Guyana scrambles to make the most of oil wealth The spongy creatures cleaning Zanzibar's oceans. Video The spongy creatures cleaning Zanzibar's oceans Inside a 'hijacked' South African building. Video Inside a 'hijacked' South African building The rise and fall of a parenting influencer Florida's first hurricane-proof town The greatest spy novel ever written? Why is everyone crazy about Aperol? 2023 BBC.