Facebook and Twitter Restrict Trump Post Falsely Comparing Covid-19 to the Flu
Major social media platforms take action against a post by President Trump that falsely claims the seasonal flu is more deadly than the coronavirus. Facebook removes the post entirely, while Twitter limits its visibility with a public interest notice.
Facebook and Twitter take action against a post by President Donald Trump that falsely claims the seasonal flu is more deadly than the coronavirus. Facebook completely removes the post from his page, while Twitter adds a misinformation label and prevents users from sharing or heavily engaging with the tweet. These actions follow the platforms' policies aimed at stopping the spread of false information regarding the severity of the pandemic.
In the flagged post, Trump wrongly states that the flu is deadlier than Covid-19 and suggests the country simply learns to live with the virus. However, health data shows that Covid-19 kills significantly more people than the flu, with over 210,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States at the time compared to a maximum of 61,000 deaths during the deadliest recent flu season. Experts and public health officials consistently emphasize that the coronavirus is far more lethal and contagious than the seasonal flu.
Following the removal of his post, Trump responds by demanding the repeal of Section 230, a law that protects online platforms from liability when they moderate user content. This incident highlights the ongoing tension between the president and social media companies over content moderation. It also demonstrates how tech platforms continue to enforce their health misinformation rules against high-profile accounts, even at the highest levels of government.