Post by Admin on Jan 1, 2021 19:21:25 GMT
Pop star Selena Gomez this week accused Facebook of allowing “lies” about the coronavirus pandemic and vaccine to spread on its platform, saying the social media giant will be “responsible for thousands of deaths if they don’t take action now!”
The Rare Beauty founder took to Twitter in response to a BBC News interview with Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imi Ahmed, who said social media companies are not doing enough to combat misinformation.
“The truth is, we’ve been gaslit by social media companies who say they’re doing their utmost, but in reality, they’re doing absolutely nothing,” Ahmed told the BBC.
Gomez shared the video, writing that “scientific disinformation has and will cost lives.”
“@facebook said they don’t allow lies about COVID and vaccines to be spread on their platforms. So how come all of this is still happening? Facebook is going to be responsible for thousands of deaths if they don’t take action now!” she wrote.
Facebook announced earlier this month that it would be removing false claims about “safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects” of the coronavirus vaccines.
Critics have blasted Facebook, saying the platform has become a breeding ground for misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Distribution of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines began in the U.S. earlier this month.
In a statement to Billboard following Gomez’s post, a Facebook spokesperson said the company is “committed to reaching as many people as possible with accurate information about vaccines, and launched partnerships with WHO [World Health Organization] and Unicef to do just that.”
The Rare Beauty founder took to Twitter in response to a BBC News interview with Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imi Ahmed, who said social media companies are not doing enough to combat misinformation.
“The truth is, we’ve been gaslit by social media companies who say they’re doing their utmost, but in reality, they’re doing absolutely nothing,” Ahmed told the BBC.
Gomez shared the video, writing that “scientific disinformation has and will cost lives.”
“@facebook said they don’t allow lies about COVID and vaccines to be spread on their platforms. So how come all of this is still happening? Facebook is going to be responsible for thousands of deaths if they don’t take action now!” she wrote.
Facebook announced earlier this month that it would be removing false claims about “safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects” of the coronavirus vaccines.
Critics have blasted Facebook, saying the platform has become a breeding ground for misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Distribution of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines began in the U.S. earlier this month.
In a statement to Billboard following Gomez’s post, a Facebook spokesperson said the company is “committed to reaching as many people as possible with accurate information about vaccines, and launched partnerships with WHO [World Health Organization] and Unicef to do just that.”