The largest social networks on the Internet have issued a joint statement regarding the epidemic coronavirus . Coronavirus has been the topic of discussion in recent weeks. The Internet has been flooded with publications related to it (sites, social media). However, in most cases the information available on these sites is not valid, since it does not come from official sources. This is how misinformation. Thus, major technology companies and social platforms have decided to take measures and promised that they will do everything they can to combat fraud and misinformation.
The companies that issued this announcement are Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube.
The joint statement comes after a conference call (last week) involving several US technology companies and White House officials.
The conference call lasted more than two hours. During it, US government officials asked technology companies to help, among other things, combat the misinformation and spread of conspiracy theories that the coronavirus has brought to the surface.
Coronavirus is a very important issue, which concerns the whole world, and that is why there are many who use it for their own purposes. In their joint statement, the seven companies said that they are working with each other and with government organizations health around the world to address misinformation related to the virus.
“We are helping millions of people stay connected while also combating misinformation about the virus by uploading authoritative content to our platforms and sharing critical developments with government healthcare organizations around the world,” the companies said.
The joint statement does not detail how the critical issue of “coronavirus and misinformation”. However, it provides a resounding response to all critics who have argued that companies are promoting misinformation and scams related to the virus.
On some platforms, advertisements about how to treat coronavirus (treatments), news articles from unknown sources or with incorrect information, as well as videos that spread conspiracy theories about the origin of the disease.
Coronavirus: apps, ads, conspiracy theories, etc.
Some of the companies that signed the joint statement had already begun a fight against misleading content.
For example, Google had already banned Android related to COVID-19, Facebook had removed misleading ads, and Twitter had blocked accounts that posted conspiracy theories.
Many believe that these actions are not enough for the new challenges brought by the coronavirus.
For example, over the weekend, a rumor circulated online that an extended quarantine would be in effect, causing many Americans to overstock to survive. Such false information should not be spread. According to critics, companies should block such news.
