UPDATE - YouTube to remove fraudulent contents on US elections

ADDS BACKGROUND

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - YouTube said Wednesday it will remove "any piece of content" claiming that the 2020 US presidential election's outcome was fraudulent.

"Yesterday was the Safe Harbor deadline & enough states have certified their election results to determine a President-elect – this means the 2020 U.S. Presidential election is now a 'past election' under our policies," the YouTube team said in a statement, referring to the victory of Joe Biden.

The team said that they "will start removing any piece of content uploaded today (or anytime after) that misleads people by alleging that widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of the 2020 US Presidential election."

YouTube also said it would boost the reach of "authoritative news" and suppress "problematic misinformation," besides removing content.

President Donald Trump continues to claim widespread voter fraud, however, his legal challenges fell short of bringing any results so far.

In separate, on Tuesday, US Supreme Court ordered swing states Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia to respond to a lawsuit challenging election results -- where Biden is projected to win -- filed this week by a Texas attorney general.

Ken Paxton’s lawsuit claims those states used the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to unlawfully change their election rules ahead of elections.

“Any electoral college votes cast by such presidential electors appointed” in those states “cannot be counted,” Texas asks the high court to rule.

“Response to the motion for leave to file a bill of complaint and to the motion for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order or, alternatively, for stay and administrative stay requested, due Thursday, December 10, by 3 pm,” the Supreme Court urged states.