Facebook, Twitter must do more to stop Covid-19 anti-vaxxers: US states

Attorneys general for 12 US states on Wednesday accused Facebook and Twitter of doing too little to stop people from using their platforms to spread false information that coronavirus vaccines are unsafe.

In a letter to Facebook CEO and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, the Democratic attorneys general said “anti-vaxxers” lacking medical expertise and often motivated by financial gain have used the platforms to downplay the danger of Covid-19 and exaggerate the risks of vaccination.

They called on both companies to enforce their own community guidelines by removing or flagging vaccine misinformation.


It also said some misinformation targets Blacks and other communities of colour where vaccination rates are lagging.

“Given anti-vaxxers’ reliance on your platforms, you are uniquely positioned to prevent the spread of misinformation about coronavirus vaccines that poses a direct threat to the health and safety of millions of Americans in our states and that will prolong our road to recovery,” the letter said.