Twitter bans misleading coronavirus information
Twitter's new guidance, published in a blog post, said it would require people to remove content encouraging people to act against recommendations from public health authorities.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter on Wednesday barred users from posting misleading information about the new coronavirus, including denials of expert guidance and encouragement of fake treatments, tightening its normally lax rules around speech.
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The decision follows a similar move by social media competitor Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), which in January said it would take down posts with false claims or conspiracy theories about the fast-spreading virus.
Both companies said such content would now violate their policies around posts that could cause physical harm, departing from a normally hands-off approach to health content which has allowed anti-vaccination groups to thrive on their platforms.
Twitter's new guidance, published in a blog post, said it would require people to remove content encouraging people to act against recommendations from public health authorities.
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Examples it provided of statements now barred from Twitter include "the news about washing your hands is propaganda for soap companies" and "use aromatherapy and essential oils to prevent COVID-19."