Twitter places fact-checks on Trump tweets

Twitter on Tuesday for the first time prompted readers to check the facts in tweets sent by U.S. President Donald Trump, warning readers his claims about mail-in ballots were false and had been debunked by fact checkers.

Freddie Joyner has more.

Twitter on Tuesday for the first time prompted readers to check the facts in tweets sent by U.S. President Donald Trump, warning readers his claims about mail-in ballots were false and had been debunked by fact checkers.

Trump said that mail-in balloting WAS “substantially fraudulent” and would result in a “rigged election.” The notification below his Tweets prompts readers to “get the facts about mail-in ballots” directing them to a page with news articles and information from fact checkers debunking the claim, with the headline, "Trump makes unsubstantiated claim that mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud." The new labels are part of a move by Twitter to control the spread of misinformation on the site.

The platform said it would provide links to more information in cases where the risk of harm from the tweet is not severe enough to be removed but where people could be confused or misled.

Twitter said these labels will also apply to tweets that have been sent before its announcement and will be used regardless of who sent the tweet.