Since 2016, social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have vowed to crack down on misinformation related to elections. Monday, they faced their first big test, when delayed results from the Iowa Democratic caucus gave rise to partisan infighting, rampant misinformation, and conspiracy theories. Unsurprisingly, things didn’t exactly go according to plan. Twitter struggled to contain viral electoral misinformation and unfounded accusations of vote rigging from Trump allies, while Facebook grappled with disinformation.
As scrutiny over the app Iowa Democrats commissioned to report results from caucuses grew, reporters, political influencers, and other popular Twitter users shared misinformation regarding who was behind the software, helping the inaccuracies go viral. Simultaneously, President Trump’s family and allies took to Twitter to share and amplify unfounded allegations about the legitimacy of the electoral process. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, digital director Gary Coby, and sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., accused Democrats of “rigging” the caucus amid news that results would be delayed.
[…]
Source: Iowa Misinformation Spreads Online, Despite New Policies | WIRED