Stratechery Unmasking Twitter
Mar 31, 2020
Delve into how Twitter shifted its content moderation to support accurate health information during the pandemic. Explore critiques of the WHO’s credibility and its relationship with China. Understand the tangled early messages about COVID-19 transmission in China, including the often-overlooked role of asymptomatic cases. Unravel the misconceptions about mask effectiveness and their importance in reducing virus spread. Lastly, examine Twitter's unique role in both spreading health information and challenging expert opinions, stirring public discourse.
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WHO Deference to China
- The WHO's deference to China is problematic.
- Their guidance has influenced platforms like Twitter, potentially hindering effective responses.
WHO's Praise of China
- The WHO praised China's COVID-19 response despite China suppressing information.
- China also quarantined 60 million people, violating WHO guidelines.
Asymptomatic Transmission Downplayed
- The WHO downplayed asymptomatic transmission, contradicting evidence.
- This may have hampered effective responses in Western countries.