Twitter drops ‘government-funded’ label from NPR, PBS

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Twitter has removed the “government-funded media” labels that prompted NPR, PBS and at least 30 public media stations to stop using the platform. 

The tag was also removed from public broadcasters outside the U.S., including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, according to Reuters. Twitter also removed the page that explained labels for government and media accounts. 

NPR and PBS have not responded to requests for comment. Neither account has resumed tweeting at the time of publication.

Earlier this month, Twitter inaccurately labeled NPR “state-affiliated media,” a tag used to describe outlets controlled by the government. Twitter then labeled NPR and PBS as “government-funded media,” which the networks objected to in part because the tag implies that they aren’t editorially independent. 

“We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the public’s understanding of our editorial independence,” NPR CEO John Lansing wrote to staff about the decision to leave the platform.

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