Trump Says ‘Do Something’ About Alleged Social Media Bias

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump claimed again that social media companies led by Twitter Inc. and Facebook Inc. discriminate against conservative speech on their platforms, and said “we have to do something,” without elaborating.

“I have many, many millions of followers on Twitter,” Trump said Tuesday at a news conference at the White House with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. “It’s different than it used to be. Things are happening. Names are taken off. People aren’t getting through.”

He didn’t directly respond to a question about whether social media companies should be held legally liable for the content posted on their platforms.

Earlier in the day, Trump tweeted complaints about social media companies.

He followed up with a tweet that said: “I will be looking into this! #StopTheBias”

Trump also complimented Bolsonaro for denouncing “fake news” in introductory remarks. “I’m very proud to hear the president use the term ‘fake news,’” Trump said, referring to an epithet he frequently applies, without substantiation, to negative news stories about his administration.

Bolsonaro considers Trump an ideological model for his presidency, and said he “firmly” believes the U.S. president will be re-elected in 2020. Trump agreed.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Justin Blum

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