President Joe Biden has stated social media corporations are “killing people” by failing to police misinformation on their platforms about COVID-19 vaccines.
Biden’s remarks got here a day after US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared misinformation about vaccines to be a public well being risk, and as US officers suggested that vaccines might trigger virus deaths and critical The illness is sort of fully preventable.
When requested if he had any messages for platforms like Facebook the place false or deceptive details about coronavirus vaccines has unfold, Biden instructed reporters, “They are killing individuals. The solely pandemic now we have is among the many unconnected,” he stated.
Speaking on Thursday, Murthy stated that misinformation about COVID-19, which is taken into account “infodemic” by the World Health Organisation, was deadly.
“Misinformation is an imminent and deadly threat to the health of our nation,” Murthy stated throughout remarks on the White House. “We as a nation should fight misinformation. Life relies on it.”
Noting the function of the Internet in spreading health-related misinformation, Murthy stated expertise corporations and social media platforms must be significant of their merchandise and software program to cut back the unfold of false data whereas growing entry to authoritative, fact-based sources. Change needs to be made.
Too typically, he stated, platforms are in-built a means that encourages, not counters, the unfold of misinformation.
“We are asking them to step up,” Murthy stated. “We can’t wait any longer for them to take aggressive action.”
Facebook spokesman Danny Lever responded: “We is not going to be distracted by allegations that aren’t supported by information. The reality is that greater than 2 billion individuals have considered official details about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook, which More than some other place on the Internet.
“More than 3.3 million Americans have also used our Vaccine Finder tool to find out where and how to get the vaccine. Facts show that Facebook is helping to save lives. Period,” Lever stated.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve around the world, we will continue to do our part to enhance official health information,” Twitter posted on its platform.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
