Facebook on Wednesday announced it had lifted a ban on posts suggesting COVID was man-made.
Earlier that day, President Biden asked federal investigators to “redouble” their efforts to determine the origin of the virus. He gave them 90 days to submit a report. Investigators do not agree on its origin.
Some believe it “emerged from human contact with an infected animal.”
On the other hand, others believe it came “from a laboratory accident,” said Biden.
Documents have confirmed at least three researchers working at the Wuhan Institute of Virology sought hospital care for COVID symptoms in November 2019. Keep in mind the lab specializes in coronavirus research. The employees fell sick shortly before the virus began to spread throughout Wuhan.
This cannot be a coincidence, but let’s move back to Facebook.
In February, Facebook said it would remove content alleging COVID was man-made “following consultations with leading health organizations including the World Health Organization,” which had supposedly “debunked” that theory.
“In light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts, we will no longer remove the claim that COVID-19 is man-made from our apps,” said the company last week. “We’re continuing to work with health experts to keep pace with the evolving nature of the pandemic and regularly update our policies as new facts and trends emerge.”
In announcing the end of the ban, Facebook is admitting that it suppressed speech on a dangerous topic.
Facebook has no right to decide what information the public can see. It also has no business shaping public opinion in regards to the pandemic. As I wrote in a previous article (click here), the site was recently running an algorithm that identifies and downgrades content promoting vaccine hesitancy.
Just like Facebook’s longtime habit of downgrading conservative content and banning conservative influencers, the site’s actions regarding COVID are unconstitutional and inappropriate. Facebook should be sued out of existence.
Sources:
Facebook Ends Ban on Posts Asserting COVID-19 Was Man-Made
FB ends ban on posts claiming COVID-19 is man-made
Facebook no longer treating ‘man-made’ COVID as a crackpot idea