Without Trump, political disinformation dips – for now

A file photo of Trump supporters hold signs as they attend a 'Stop The Steal' rally, protesting the outcome of the presidential election, in Salem, Oregon. Researchers are currently analysing the effects of election misinformation and the bans on Trump, but an early study in December showed that soft warning labels describing his tweets as containing disputed information did not stop them being shared. — AP

WASHINGTON: Twitter said it permanently suspended Donald Trump’s account after the Jan 6 Capitol riot because there was a risk of further incitement of violence, following months of tweets disputing Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.

False and misleading claims about American politics have since plummeted, a trend Twitter and Facebook – which also blocked Trump but may reverse course – are keen to take credit for.