Social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
remove fewer than one in ten posts reported for coronavirus
misinformation, research from Center for Countering Digital Hate
(CCDH) and Restless Development has shown. These findings are in
stark contrast to public statements made by each social media
company, claiming to be taking strong action to stamp out
coronavirus misinformation
, Labour’s Shadow Culture
Secretary, responding to the report,
said:
“This report exposes yet again, the reality of what the
global tech companies promise on removing harmful content and the
pitiful steps they actually take in practice. Combatting the
impact of the global COVID-19 crisis is difficult enough, without
the uncontrolled spread of extremely harmful content on social
media platforms.
“More than a year after publication of their Online Harms
White Paper, the Government has still not taken any action to put
proper protection from online harms in place for the UK public,
including for children. All we’ve had are delays, opportunities
for the tech giants to continue their intensive lobbying, and
recent noises from the Secretary of State about watering down the
proposed sanctions in the White Paper. It’s not good
enough.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
· The
research released published today (Thursday) by the Center for
Countering Digital Hate and Restless Development, titled ‘Will To
Act,’ found here: https://bit.ly/WillToAct
