JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse

U.S. election helps disinformation on social media thrive in Japan

Tweets by Japanese social media users that include pro-Donald Trump hashtags often contain references to QAnon, a conspiracy theory that has gained prominence over the past 12 months. | REUTERS

By Patrick St. Michel
Contributing writer

Nov 21, 2020

The 2020 U.S. presidential election has dominated much of the news cycle over the past couple of weeks, with social media playing a key role in the conversation.

What’s surprising, however, is just how vocal a certain set of social media users have been in supporting outgoing President Donald Trump, who lost to Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Nov. 3.

On Election Day in Japan, hashtags supporting his re-election topped Japan’s trending list on Twitter. Ever since, posts echoing Trump’s baseless allegations that the vote was somehow tarnished by fraud have appeared on a regular basis.

U.S. election helps disinformation on social media thrive in Japan

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