Twitter suspends Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for spreading COVID-19 misinformation
Twitter suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — once more — on Monday night time, after she shared details about COVID-19 that violated the corporate’s misinformation coverage.
In a sequence of tweets posted on Sunday and Monday, Greene shared “deceptive” details about coronavirus and vaccines, Twitter mentioned. Greene claimed COVID-19 just isn’t harmful for people who find themselves not overweight or over the age of 65, and saying vaccines shouldn’t be required. The Georgia Republican, who has beforehand in contrast masks mandates to the Holocaust, was locked out of her account for 12 hours.
Her account is accessible in “read-only” mode, a Twitter spokesperson advised CBS Information on Monday night time. If she continues to unfold COVID-19 misinformation, the far-right congresswoman might be kicked off the social media platform completely.
Moreover, a number of of Greene’s tweets now include a linked warning message that reads, “This tweet is deceptive. Be taught why well being officers advocate a vaccine for extra individuals.”
Per Twitter’s COVID-19 deceptive data coverage, the corporate will take motion on “false or deceptive details about the prevalence of the virus, or threat of an infection or demise.”
Earlier this 12 months, Greene was banned from Twitter for spreading election fraud conspiracy theories surrounding the Georgia Senate elections.
In response to the latest ban, Greene mentioned throughout a Fb Reside on Monday night time that “freedom of speech is below assault in America like by no means earlier than,” including that Republicans are “experiencing being canceled each single day.”
Previously week, President Biden has pushed social media corporations to take better accountability in combatting vaccine misinformation, because the Delta variant spreads quickly throughout the U.S. On Friday, he mentioned platforms like Fb are “killing individuals” by permitting such misinformation to quickly unfold, saying that “the one pandemic we’ve is among the many unvaccinated.”
He later clarified these feedback this week, softening his response.
“Fb is not killing individuals. These 12 persons are on the market giving misinformation,” Mr. Biden mentioned, apparently referring to a report that concluded 12 people are behind the vast majority of all COVID-19 misinformation. “Anybody listening to it’s getting harm by it. It is killing individuals. It is dangerous data. My hope is that Fb, as a substitute of taking it personally that in some way I am saying Fb is killing individuals, that they might do one thing in regards to the misinformation. The outrageous misinformation in regards to the vaccine. That is what I meant.”
