Facebook has, once again, decided to step up its censorship game.
The social media platform has reportedly decided that it will remove what it deems to be “false claims” about the COVID-19 vaccine that could be available around the world fairly soon, according to Bloomberg News.
“The type of posts that could be removed on Facebook or Instagram include false claims about the safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects of the vaccine, Facebook said. These could include claims that the vaccines contain microchips or anything else not on the official ingredient list,” Bloomberg reported.
“‘Given the recent news that Covid-19 vaccines will soon be rolling out around the world, over the coming weeks we will also start removing false claims about these vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts on Facebook and Instagram,’” a company spokesperson reportedly told The Guardian. “‘This is another way that we are applying our policy to remove misinformation about the virus that could lead to imminent physical harm.’”
The platform has already planned to promote the COVID-19 vaccine when it is released, reportedly to appease former Vice President Joe Biden, according to the Financial Times.
Facebook did not respond to a request to confirm what types of posts would be removed, or at what point it would begin to enforce this new policy.
In a call with reporters in November, Facebook Vice President of Integrity, Guy Rosen bragged that the platform had “removed more than 12 million pieces of content on Facebook and Instagram for containing misinformation that may lead to imminent physical harm such as content relating to fake preventative measures or exaggerated cures.” In October, Facebook removed a post from President Donald Trump in which he claimed that COVID-19 is less lethal “in most populations” than “the flu.”
Conservatives are under attack. Contact Facebook headquarters at 1-650-308-7300 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.
