Just days after a verified account for Fox News appeared on former President Trump's social media app, Truth Social, a Fox News spokesperson says the network has nothing to do with the account.
Why it matters: Investors clearly would have viewed Fox News' participation as a boon for the struggling app.
- Shares of the blank-check company taking Truth Social public spiked on Tuesday afternoon, after an Axios reporter tweeted about the mere existence of the verified account.
- That tweet, which has since been deleted, was prompted not only by the verification symbol on a Truth Social account bearing Fox News' name and logo, but also by a message from Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes that read: "Great to have RSS feed for @FoxNews now LIVE here on TRUTH! This adds to @OAN and @NewsMax."
Screenshots from Truth Social, taken on April 13.
- But the Fox News spokesperson tells Axios, "We are not on Truth Social."
Be smart: As Axios previously reported, real-looking accounts for numerous big media and sports brands —including Fox Sports, TMZ, NFL, NASA and NASCAR — have existed on Truth Social for months, and often are promoted to new users. But none are verified, instead including a small "BOT" disclaimer on their accounts.
- If you click the disclaimer, you learn that: "This account is an RSS feed aggregating bot, and is not managed by or affiliated with the referenced news outlet."
- There is no "BOT" disclaimer on Fox News' account, even though the network says it didn't authorize any such use.
- Devin Nunes didn't return a request for comment.
