Updated May 27th, 2020 at 07:28 IST
Twitter adds fact-check warnings to Trump tweets for first time; US President hits back
For the first time, Twitter on Tuesday labelled tweets from US President Donald Trump as misleading. Twitter said that the move was aimed at providing "context"
Advertisement
For the first time, micro-blogging site Twitter on Tuesday labelled tweets from United States President Donald Trump as misleading. The social media giant highlighted two of Trump's tweets that falsely claimed mail-in ballots would lead to widespread voter fraud. "Get the facts about mail-in ballots," read a message under each tweet.
Twitter adds fact-check warnings to Trump tweets
Under the tweets, there is now a link that guides users to a Twitter moments page with fact checks and news stories about Trump's unsubstantiated claims.
There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed. The Governor of California is sending Ballots to millions of people, anyone.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
....living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there, will get one. That will be followed up with professionals telling all of these people, many of whom have never even thought of voting before, how, and for whom, to vote. This will be a Rigged Election. No way!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Twitter said that the move was aimed at providing "context" around Trump's remarks, CNN reported. Twitter's decision is likely to raise further questions about its willingness to consistently apply the label to other Trump's tweets. Twitter said that Trump's tweets about mail-in voting did not violate the company's rules because they do not discourage people from voting. But, the company said, the label offers context surrounding the US President's claims.
"These tweets (here and here) contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labelled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots," Twitter spokesperson Katie Rosborough told CNN Business in an email.
"This decision is in line with the approach we shared earlier this month," Rosborough said.
The Twitter policy forbids sharing "false or misleading information intended to intimidate or dissuade people from participating in an election or other civic process." While it has previously flagged tweets conveying misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never before put warnings on tweets for any other reason.
READ | US President Trump spends Memorial Day retweeting sexist personal attacks on women
READ | Donald Trump threatens to move the GOP convention out of Charlotte due to COVID 19 restrictions
'Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH'
Trump replied on Twitter, accusing the platform of interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election and insisting that as President, "I will not allow this to happen."
....living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there, will get one. That will be followed up with professionals telling all of these people, many of whom have never even thought of voting before, how, and for whom, to vote. This will be a Rigged Election. No way!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2020
....Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Earlier in May, Twitter announced it would start to label misleading information, which the company says it’s been applying to key topics, starting with 5G conspiracies, and now, civic integrity and voting. Previously, Twitter has already deleted tweets from Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro and Venezuela’s President Maduro in which they endorsed unproven treatments for COVID-19.
READ | Trump fumes at US media after golf session criticism, says 'they are sick with hatred'
READ | Biden slams Trump over golf outing, calls himself prepared to take 'biggest decisions'
(With agency inputs)
Advertisement
Published May 27th, 2020 at 07:28 IST