Fast Company May 29, 2020
Misinformation targeting citizens who vote based on their pandemic response may force Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to police political content.
Researchers watching the constant swirl of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation say that it’s about to become very political. That may pose a problem for platforms such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, all three networks have worked to promote appropriate sources of health information and pull down content that could harm users. However, they have traditionally shied from removing false information that is politically charged. As health misinformation becomes increasingly politicized, they may be forced to take a stance.
“Coronavirus and perceptions of its toll on our country will become the central 2020 issue,” says Emerson Brooking,...