Listen to the article
Social media platforms are failing to effectively remove Covid-19 misinformation from their sites, according to a new report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate. The study reveals that 90% of reported posts containing false information about the pandemic remained visible online without any warning labels.
Researchers identified 649 posts across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter that contained dangerous misinformation, including false cures, anti-vaccination propaganda, and conspiracy theories linking 5G networks to the spread of coronavirus. Despite reporting these posts to the platforms, the vast majority remained accessible to users.
Twitter performed particularly poorly in the assessment, taking action on only 3% of the 179 posts reported to the platform. Facebook removed just 10% of the 334 flagged posts and labeled another 2% as false. Instagram, owned by Facebook, acted on merely 10% of the 135 complaints it received.
“Social media giants have claimed many times that they are taking Covid-related misinformation seriously, but this new research shows that even when they are handed the posts promoting misinformation, they fail to take action,” said Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. He criticized the platforms for “shirking their responsibilities,” adding that their systems for reporting and addressing misinformation are “simply not fit for purpose.”
The research was conducted by ten volunteers from the UK, Ireland, and Romania who searched for misinformation across the platforms from late April through May. Among the false claims they discovered were posts suggesting that coronavirus could be eliminated by drinking aspirin dissolved in hot water or by taking zinc and vitamin C and D supplements.
Facebook disputed the findings, with a spokesperson stating that the sample was “not representative” of their efforts. The company defended its approach, saying: “We are taking aggressive steps to remove harmful misinformation from our platforms and have removed hundreds of thousands of these posts, including claims about false cures.”
The spokesperson further noted that during March and April, Facebook placed warning labels on approximately 90 million pieces of content related to Covid-19, claiming these labels prevented users from viewing the original content 95% of the time. The company also said it notifies users who have engaged with posts that are subsequently removed.
Twitter similarly defended its practices, stating it prioritizes removing Covid-19 content “when it has a call to action that could potentially cause harm.” The platform acknowledged it does not take enforcement action on every tweet containing incomplete or disputed information about Covid-19 but said its automated systems have challenged more than 4.3 million accounts targeting discussions around the pandemic with “spammy or manipulative behaviors.”
Rosanne Palmer-White, director of youth action group Restless Development, which participated in the survey, expressed frustration with the platforms’ responses. “Young people are doing their bit to stop the spread of misinformation, but social media companies are letting them down,” she said.
The report comes as both Twitter and Facebook face increased scrutiny from UK lawmakers. The Digital Culture Media and Sport sub-committee is questioning the companies on their handling of coronavirus misinformation. MPs have expressed dissatisfaction with previous testimony from the companies and have demanded more detailed answers, insisting that more senior executives attend future meetings.
Despite the platforms’ claims about their efforts to combat misinformation, including Twitter’s initiative to label misleading tweets and Facebook’s removal of some content promoting 5G conspiracy theories, the report suggests a significant gap remains between the companies’ stated policies and their actual enforcement practices. This discrepancy raises serious concerns about the role of social media in amplifying dangerous health misinformation during a global pandemic.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
13 Comments
This is a very concerning issue. Social media companies need to take much stronger action to combat the proliferation of COVID-19 misinformation on their platforms. Public health should be their top priority.
I agree wholeheartedly. With so much at stake, these companies have a moral obligation to be more aggressive in policing false and misleading content.
I’m surprised to see such poor performance from social media companies in addressing COVID misinformation. With so much at stake, they need to dramatically improve their content moderation efforts.
The findings in this report are quite alarming. Social media platforms must do much better at proactively removing COVID-19 misinformation before it can spread and put people at risk.
It’s alarming that 90% of reported COVID misinformation posts remained visible online. Social media platforms must urgently address this issue and take stronger action to combat the spread of dangerous falsehoods.
Agreed. Allowing misinformation to proliferate unchecked puts public health at risk. More transparency and accountability is needed from these companies.
This is a concerning report. Social media companies must do better at stopping the spread of dangerous COVID-19 misinformation. Fact-checking and swift removal of false posts should be a top priority.
Absolutely. Platforms need to enforce their own policies more consistently to protect users from harmful conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated medical claims.
Disappointing to see social media giants like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram struggle so much with removing COVID-19 misinformation. Their content moderation efforts clearly need significant improvement.
Absolutely. Given the serious public health risks, they should be dedicating more resources to rapidly identifying and taking down false and dangerous posts.
Troubling to see social media platforms struggle to curb COVID-19 misinformation. Accurate information is critical during a pandemic. I hope they can improve their processes to quickly identify and remove dangerous false claims.
Completely agree. The spread of misinformation can have serious public health consequences. Social media companies need to be more proactive in policing their platforms.
This is a very concerning report. Social media’s failure to properly police COVID-19 misinformation is extremely problematic. Urgent action is required to prevent the spread of harmful conspiracy theories and false cures.