Twitter hiring director of new social science division to improve platform

MANILA, Philippines – How does Twitter aim to address problems related to trolls, falsehood, and other unhealthy activities on social media? The platform has been under the spotlight for a long time because of the said problems, but a definite solution has yet to be found. 

Now, the social network is looking at beefing up its in-house research efforts with a new social science research division. As posted by Twitter’s Director of User Research, Liz Ferrall-Nunge, on Wednesday, March 7, the platform is looking for a social scientist to study the effects of fake news, trolling, and other actions done on the platform.

The job posting is specifically looking for a Director of Research – Social Sciences, which will lead a social science research division for the social media service. It hopes the research position will help increase “the collective health, openness, and civility of public conversation,” a direct reference to the online abuses that can often ferment on the network in its current form. 

Twitter wants a “Social Scientist with a strong understanding of psychological, cognitive, cultural, and computational processes,” who will develop “an overall vision and strategy for social science research at Twitter, particularly as it relates to the health of (Twitter’s) platform.” 

Twitter hopes that the research done by the division will help lessen the effects of trolls and manipulators, as well as highlight constructive uses of the platform. (READ: Falsehoods 70% more likely to be retweeted than the truth – study)

Twitter has also said it wants to gauge what it calls the health of the platform – Twitter’s effects on its users as measured by the impact of abuse, spam, manipulation, and other factors. The formation of a social science research division and the hiring of a director may help Twitter do just that. 

Interested parties can learn more about the position and apply for it here. – Rappler.com