Trump escalates war on Twitter, social media protections

ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump escalated his war on Twitter and other social media companies Thursday, signing an executive order challenging the lawsuit protections that have served as a bedrock for unfettered speech on the internet. Announced with fanfare, the president's action yet appeared to be more about politics than substance. He aims to rally supporters after he lashed out at Twitter for applying fact checks to two of his tweets. Trump said the fact checks were "editorial decisions" by Twitter amounting to political activism and that such actions should cost social media companies their liability protection for what is posted on their platforms. Trump, who personally relies heavily on Twitter to verbally flog his foes, has long accuse