Facebook and Twitter struggle with online fury from Trump supporters

Enlarge / HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 05: A child holds a sign as dozens of people calling for stopping the vote count in Pennsylvania due to alleged fraud against President Donald Trump gather on the steps of the State Capitol on November 5, 2020 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The activists, many with flags and signs for Trump, have made allegations that votes are being stolen from the president as the race in Pennsylvania continues to tighten in Joe Biden's favor. (credit: Spencer Platt | Getty Images)

Facebook and Twitter are struggling to contain rising anger from Donald Trump's supporters online, as a wave of momentum builds around the US president's claims that the election is being stolen from him.

In the past 24 hours, Facebook has invoked emergency measures to make it harder for users to share posts that contain misleading information, to remove such posts from people's newsfeeds, and to restrict the circulation of poll-related livestreams.

The social media company has also expanded its warning labels from posts by political candidates to a wider web of rightwing influencers, many of whom were echoing Mr. Trump's messages, saying that it was flagging individuals based on whether their posts were going viral.

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