Twitter tells users to “get the facts about mail-in ballots” on Trump tweet claiming California’s mailed votes likely to be “substantially fraudulent.”
Twitter for the first time added fact-check labels to a pair of tweets by President Donald Trump that boosted unsubstantiated claims about voting fraud on Tuesday, a move that comes as the social media network faces intense scrutiny of its handling of the president’s feed.
Twitter’s label does not directly declare the tweets false, but points anyone reading them to news reports that contradict the president’s assertions.
The action comes as the tech company faces rising pressure to crack down on the president’s Twitter account, which in recent days has posted a flurry of baseless tweets riling fears about widespread voter fraud and a series of posts stoking conspiracy theories about the death of a former staffer to MSNBC host Joe Scarborough when he served in Congress. Twitter said earlier Tuesday that it would not take down the tweets about the deceased staffer.
The two missives — in which Trump claimed earlier Tuesday without evidence that mail-in ballots in California are likely to be “substantially fraudulent” — now display a notice directing Twitter users to “Get the facts about mail-in ballots.” The label links to a Twitter events page that notes that Trump’s claims “are unsubstantiated,” citing news outlets including CNN and the Washington Post, and adds, “Experts say mail-in ballots are very rarely linked to voter fraud.”
Twitter spokesperson Katie Rosborough said in an email to POLITICO that the posts “contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots.” Rosborough confirmed it is the first time the company has added such a message to any Trump tweets.
The Trump campaign put out a statement calling the move evidence of “political bias.”
……..
- Discussion
-
Twitter for the first time added fact-check labels to a pair of tweets by President Trump that boosted unsubstantiated claims about voting fraud https://t.co/szV5NdTr0N
— POLITICO (@politico) May 26, 2020
JUST IN: Twitter adds fact-check to Trump’s unsubstantiated tweets claiming mail-in voting is full of fraud https://t.co/nkJzFBYzoC pic.twitter.com/V1nAfniMBo
— The Hill (@thehill) May 26, 2020
https://t.co/07FuDljUGk pic.twitter.com/xE4jIP3wlw
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) May 26, 2020
Hi @realDonaldTrump!
It's me again. I complained to Jack two days ago. And, it worked. Now on your latest tweets on mail-in voting Twitter is adding a warning label! pic.twitter.com/JyeHb4kB9B
— Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) May 26, 2020
“…Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!”
Really? And just what are you going to do about it, Little Donnie? Twitter is a private entity. It can make its own rules and conduct its business as it sees fit. Or are you going to sic some government agency on it? Sorry, pal. You are not a king. You are not a president for life. You do not have personal control over any media, social or otherwise.
Trump’s fans tell me he has to use Twitter to get out the truth because the media won’t report it. But Trump’s primary use of Twitter has been to lie, spread phony conspiracy theories, insult, demean and debase anyone he perceives as an enemy. It’s high time someone reigns him in. Freedom of speech comes with responsibility. Trump should be made to be more responsible for what he says.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.