The Daily Facebook vs. the White House
Jul 20, 2021
Cecilia Kang, a technology and regulatory policy correspondent for The New York Times, dives into the contentious relationship between Facebook and the Biden administration over COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. The discussion highlights the role of social media in shaping public health discourse. Kang explains how misinformation super spreaders are influencing vaccine hesitancy. She also critiques Facebook's measures against misinformation while addressing the platform's transparency issues and the clash between corporate responsibility and public health accountability.
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Vaccine Misinformation Anecdotes
- The White House is hearing anecdotes about vaccine hesitancy due to misinformation spread online.
- These anecdotes include false claims like vaccines causing autism or harming pregnant women.
Disinformation Dozen
- A study identified 12 people, the "disinformation dozen," responsible for 65% of anti-vaccine misinformation on social media.
- These individuals are considered "super spreaders" of false information.
Robert Kennedy Jr.'s Misinformation
- Robert Kennedy Jr., with 4.7 million Facebook followers, spread misinformation about vaccines harming pregnant women.
- This post, though flagged as false, reached tens of thousands of viewers.