• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The heiress of $10 billion Perdue Farms and the $12 billion Sheraton Hotels empire wore hand-me-downs, still rides the subway, and flies economy

2

Richard Branson double-booked his own job interview. The candidate stuck in traffic with him for 2.5 hours is now Virgin's CEO

3

IBM’s CEO disagrees with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s disdain for texting in meetings: ‘Telling people they can't use their technology would be weird’

1

The heiress of $10 billion Perdue Farms and the $12 billion Sheraton Hotels empire wore hand-me-downs, still rides the subway, and flies economy

2

Richard Branson double-booked his own job interview. The candidate stuck in traffic with him for 2.5 hours is now Virgin's CEO

3

IBM’s CEO disagrees with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s disdain for texting in meetings: ‘Telling people they can't use their technology would be weird’
Techfact-checking

New Tool Will Fact-Check Donald Trump’s Tweets in Real Time

By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 18, 2016, 5:09 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

On Friday, the Washington Post introduced a Chrome plugin that will automatically display commentary next to Donald Trump’s tweets. Spearheaded by the Post’s politics team at The Fix, the plugin provides context and fact-checking of, for example, Trump’s claims that millions of people voted illegally in the November election.

The Post has retroactively fact-checked Trump’s recent tweets, and they say they’ll continue adding commentary to new tweets in something close to real time.

the-fix-donald-context-1

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

It’s no surprise that the Post would roll out a tool that aims to undermine Trump’s statements. The paper is owned by Jeff Bezos, who famously sparred with Trump on Twitter. During his campaign, Trump blacklisted Post reporters from campaign events for a time. The Post Editorial Board in September referred to Trump’s business practices as “sleazy.”

trump-tweets-4

Of course, while it might be convenient for those critical of Trump, the plugin is inherently an exercise in preaching to the choir—it’s unlikely that anyone supportive of Trump is going to go to the trouble of installing a Chrome plugin that promises to undermine him.

The Post team seems to understand their constituency, in some cases providing commentary that pushes the boundary between fact-checking and partisan apologetics:

 

post-fact-check-3

We’re now in a political climate where even studiously objective fact-checkers like Snopes and Politifact get branded as “far-left” when they comment on dubious right-wing news. If the Post truly wants to encourage more measured dialogue—rather than just flattering those who have done things that are “in no way illegal”—they may want to reassess their approach.

About the Author
By David Z. Morris
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.