Social media urged to crack down on misleading Covid posts

SOCIAL media giants should crack down on the posting of erroneous and misleading information about coronavirus, according to a Welsh Government minister.

Vaughan Gething, the health and social services minister, said sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube should be “part of the answer, and not part of the problem”.

The four platforms each have policies designed to restrict misleading posts about coronavirus.

Speaking during the weekly Welsh Government briefing, Mr Gething said the sharing of misinformation about Covid-19 and lockdown measures was a “real and present danger”.

“I haven’t had direct discussions with Facebook but there are regular conversations between governments across the world, and not just Facebook but other social media platforms, about the erroneous and misleading information that circulates on those individual social media platforms,” he said.

“This is a real and present danger. It was not that long ago we were having conversations about the number of lives were being lost each week. I want those platforms to be responsible and to promptly remove misleading and dangerous information. It could not be more serious or more urgent. This is a global public health emergency that has taken countless lives across the globe.

“Social media partners should be part of the answer, and not part of the problem.”

Last week, a report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate and Restless Development accused social media giants of failing to act on anti-vaccine misinformation related to coronavirus.

A letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden calls for legislation to prevent dangerous misinformation about health and medicine being spread online.