Facebook Inc removed a post by US President Donald Trump that suggested Covid-19 is less deadly than the seasonal flu, saying the message violated its rules about misinformation related to the virus. Twitter Inc. put a warning screen over the tweet but left it accessible for those who choose to click through to read it.
This tweet violated Twitter Rules about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the tweet to remain accessible, the warning screen reads.
Twitter has a policy to label, but not remove, violating tweets from elected officials, but the company also limited the ability to share or comment on Trumps post.
Trump posted the message the day after returning to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was treated for Covid-19. The virus has infected more than 7 million Americans and killed more than 210,000 in the US
Facebook pulled the post from its network entirely. “We remove incorrect information about the severity of Covid-19, and have now removed this post,” according to a company spokesman. Facebook’s move was reported earlier by CNN.