Twitter Plans to Censor Posts on COVID-19 Vaccines It Deems Misinfo

December 21st, 2020 2:27 PM

Twitter has joined the brigade against what Big Tech considers “misleading” information on the COVID-19 vaccines.

Beginning next year, Twitter said that it has plans to tackle what it deems to be “misleading” information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Because crushing dissent is far better than allowing free speech on the efficacy of new, and in some cases experimental, vaccines to combat the global virus, right Big Tech?

Starting in early 2021, we may label or place a warning on Tweets that advance unsubstantiated rumors, disputed claims, as well as incomplete or out-of-context information about vaccines,” said Twitter in a blog post. “Tweets that are labeled under this expanded guidance may link to authoritative public health information or the Twitter Rules to provide people with additional context and authoritative information about COVID-19.”

Twitter went on to say “we are expanding the policy and may require people to remove Tweets which advance harmful false or misleading narratives about COVID-19 vaccinations, including:

  • “False claims that suggest immunizations and vaccines are used to intentionally cause harm to or control populations, including statements about vaccines that invoke a deliberate conspiracy;
  • “False claims which have been widely debunked about the adverse impacts or effects of receiving vaccinations; or
  • “False claims that COVID-19 is not real or not serious, and therefore that vaccinations are unnecessary.”

The platform said that it will begin enforcing this new policy “on December 21,” and will continue to expand enforcement over the next few weeks. 

Twitter began taking down what it deemed to be COVID-19 misinformation in April, and has decided to now join Facebook in censoring dissent about vaccines. In October, Facebook removed and Twitter flagged a post from President Donald Trump in which he said that COVID-19 is less lethal “in most populations” than “the flu.” Twitter also censored a separate post from Trump in which he said that he was “immune” from COVID-19 after he contracted the virus. The platform did, however, allow multiple tweets wishing harm or death on Trump after he and First Lady Melania Trump were diagnosed with the virus. 

Conservatives are under attack. Contact Twitter at (415) 222-9670 and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on “hate speech” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us at the Media Research Center contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.