Social media can help us hold the powerful to account

The US president uses Twitter to reach supporters directly, but it has come back to bite him

It is not unusual for Donald Trump to contradict things he has said at rallies, during interviews or even promises made on the campaign trial. His claim that he never said Mexico would directly pay for his border wall fits into that pattern.

But the lesson that the president never seems to learn is that reporters, or indeed anyone, can verify such claims within minutes – or less. Mr Trump has prided himself on being the president that speaks directly to the masses via Twitter, turning his back on traditional press briefings – but the digital footprint he leaves behind makes for an easily searchable archive.

In decades past reporters would have had to search through newspaper clippings or paper copies of speeches; now it is one quick search of the president’s Twitter feed, or his websites. Almost as soon as the words about Mexico were out of the president’s mouth, there were screenshots of his campaign website (which had said Mexico would make a “one-off” payment of “$5-$10bn”) and of his various other public statements.

Any US president will have their every utterance pored over, but there is no escaping past remarks now. They will be fact-checked around the world then written about and tweeted, often before Mr Trump has had time to finish an event, or sometimes even a question.

Context is still key. Knowing why something is misleading or wrong helps readers get an accurate picture of the world around them. Mr Trump may rely on social media, but it is now an important part of how he can be held to account.

Yours,

Chris Stevenson

US editor