i think you can be leery of the white house spokesperson trying to direct content moderation policy from the podium but this is laughably non-responsive to the critique being made https://t.co/74tvC2p3l6

— Matthew Zeitlin (@MattZeitlin) July 16, 2021

Quite something that after years of abuse by Trump, this is the presidential fight that Facebook decides to pick. https://t.co/LobTenuZyr

— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) July 16, 2021

Looks like Facebook isn't afraid to take on the president. Quite vocal compared to the last guy. https://t.co/OFpT660wKW

— Ken Yeung (@thekenyeung) July 16, 2021

Hard to grapple with these ‘facts’ without sufficient transparency being provided to independent third party researchers to evaluate these claims.

I only have the anec-data of my public Facebook page which constantly gets flooded with medical misinformation. https://t.co/Ap7WXNhh8K

— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) July 16, 2021

Seems like a good time to remind everyone that until very recently Facebook did very little to stop vaccine misinformation bc the company (including Zuckerberg) kept bizarrely insisting that vaccine misinformation wasn't likely to cause "imminent harm"

— Karissa Bell (@karissabe) July 16, 2021

Both viewpoints can be true at the same time. Facebook can be saving the lives of those who use their vaccine finder tools etc. while other people die because they believe in myths they have seen on social media.

— Mikael Lemberg (@Lemberg) July 16, 2021

We’ve seen this in video metrics, fake accounts, all over the board. It’s why they have a fraud case and their longtime top advertising exec resigned on the eve of docs being unsealed. Everything is a PR operation. Give nothing. https://t.co/ULYd4aK6TO

— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) July 17, 2021

Actually WhiteHouse, HHS, Media have failed (again) to explain basis for antivaccine antiscience disinformation in America. Now dumbed down to the point where it’s just false. As an expert (because I’ve been the lead target ? for the past decade) will issue a statement on Monday https://t.co/O8zK834Dcm

— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 17, 2021

Hm. Feels taken from a certain playbook https://t.co/sjwwjZiXyB

— David Armano (@armano) July 17, 2021

“We don’t kill THAT many people.”

Facebook is a profoundly unethical company, and it starts at the top, with Mark. https://t.co/PZlrOgSsfU

— Grady Booch (@Grady_Booch) July 16, 2021

Amazing. FB pays its executives billions, and gets a summer intern to write this response. https://t.co/LvYhiAPGI3

— Dr SJ Dodgson (@SusannaDodgson) July 16, 2021

Facebook employees are like many Republican politicians: they are fine with lots of people getting COVID, or even dying from it, as long as they get to keep their jobs. Speaking out could help save lives, but could also lead to them losing their jobs. They have a choice.

— RB (@RatherReadABook) July 16, 2021

This embarrassing statement from Facebook leadership has to make some of the staff uncomfortable, angry and motivated to do something. So many folks in the company know better. Now its time we hear from them, its time they decide who they want to be in the story of this moment. https://t.co/ErbhhMQPsN

— Rashad Robinson (@rashadrobinson) July 16, 2021

Strategies not to try: blaming the administration for something else when it points out you’ve got a core of antivaxxers on your platform spreading lies. Classic bit of whataboutery which I never expected to see Facebook adopt. https://t.co/7zlZ9mSgUK

— Charles Arthur (@charlesarthur) July 17, 2021

I guess I’m left with a simple question: How many people have seen COVID vaccine misinformation on Facebook? https://t.co/oEjuIYqAZE

— Rob Flaherty (@RFlaherty46) July 16, 2021

JUST IN: @Facebook responds to Biden (“They’re killing people”) re: COVID misinformation: “The facts show Facebook is helping save lives. Period.”

Full statement here. pic.twitter.com/5bj7mwuI4J

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) July 16, 2021

Seriously, who the fuck is the White House to be dictating who should and should not be banned from social media platforms, to keep lists of who they think are the spreaders of "misinformation," and then pressure companies they regulate to obey? This is pernicious shit: https://t.co/WlZlbCjlqT

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 16, 2021

Facebook is a right-wing propaganda outlet and this is a statement written by an anonymous apparatchik who will be advising Tucker Carlson’s exploratory campaign in two years https://t.co/H0DGL79U4W

— Matt Negrin, HOST OF HARDBALL AT 7PM ON MSNBC (@MattNegrin) July 16, 2021

the audacity to troll the US gov’t for missing vaccination goals while serving as the global HQ for deadly anti-vaxx propaganda is sickening. https://t.co/NWkfooS73D

— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) July 17, 2021

Statements like these exemplify the flaw in Facebook's thinking that good and bad can be weighed out on a scale. Connecting the world can't be seen as a net good if the negative externalities are genocide or election interference or health misinformation.https://t.co/Ym3ZFJpprR

— Ryan Mac? (@RMac18) July 16, 2021

The fact that Facebook is declining to do what the administration wants seems like a problem for the theory that we are witnessing the total fusion of state & corporate power in the creation of a new censorship regime. https://t.co/w18Tz6yNkH

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) July 16, 2021

FACEBOOK official: "In private exchanges the Surgeon General has praised our work, including our efforts to inform people about COVID-19. They knew what they were doing. The White House is looking for scapegoats for missing their vaccine goals.”

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) July 16, 2021

Facebook's response to "they're killing people" is to point out how many people they *haven't* killed https://t.co/HMsqQX5p3s

— Michael Caley (@MC_of_A) July 16, 2021

Facebook’s rebuttal to President Biden is consistent with every FB denial. When challenged about algorithmic amplification, they try to change the subject to something with a big number that sounds good. They always do this. Period. pic.twitter.com/D2ZvxIXOaX

— Roger McNamee (@Moonalice) July 16, 2021

Reminder that Facebook-owned Instagram is *still* actively recommending anti-vax content to users who search for vaccine info. https://t.co/fw4yw3B3Cn https://t.co/rnU2uwTw3l pic.twitter.com/7KbP9rPUwb

— Jesselyn Cook (@JessReports) July 17, 2021

Source close to White House pushes back on Facebook and this official:

“For people who are volunteering that they’re innocent, their response is giving off strong ‘if I did it’ vibes.” https://t.co/Dmn0zDpUQC

— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) July 17, 2021

Multiple Facebook execs have been invited to come on @ReliableSources tomorrow. So far no one has agreed. https://t.co/7ceu3Hs5PX

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 17, 2021

Remember Joe Biden set his goals for his administration low and was cheered and applauded when he met them. He doesn't meet the vaccination rate he set and now it's Facebook's fault.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 16, 2021

Wow. That’s a dumb a$$ statement from Facebook pointing out WE ALL were a few percent off the 70% vaccine target. And to do it anonymously through a spokesman to one of Sandberg’s favorite journalists. Spineless. https://t.co/YfuCSzbVZ0

— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) July 17, 2021

Facebook’s statement today is a perfect example of the deflection they do best, (and which we document in our book An Ugly Truth).
They can direct some people to vaccines while at the same time directing other people to harmful, anti-vaccine misinformation. https://t.co/evO3p3TcHX

— Sheera Frenkel (@sheeraf) July 16, 2021

I see @Dani_Lever made the statements. Not enough strength to tell her leadership it’s a terrible statement and maybe instead they need to take their foot off the profit pedal and care about civil society for a moment. https://t.co/IcRfqDHetM

— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) July 17, 2021

Not a meaningful stat unless Facebook reveals how many people viewed vaccine disinformation on Facebook https://t.co/eu0HR6Iunc

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) July 16, 2021

Idle observation: any claim that misinformation on social is down to the ad model needs to explain why WhatsApp had problems despite having no ads, and explain why Fox News would change if it switched to a subscription model

— Benedict Evans (@benedictevans) July 17, 2021

wow they’re really just gonna keep digging huh? https://t.co/11BmoF2qgH

— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) July 17, 2021

Facebook antivaccine groups have been PIVOTAL in spreading hesitancy and misinformation about vaccines.

For every provax, science-based group, there are 20 antivaxx ones. I see the cost everyday.@Facebook is trash. #DeleteFacebook https://t.co/xwBNysZP0k

— Alastair McAlpine, MD (@AlastairMcA30) July 17, 2021

I’m going to take a shot at a re-write:

We appreciate the WH acknowledging Facebook’s important role in spreading accurate information about the vaccine. We commit to vigilantly fight against & remove misinformation, especially that which may be leading to more death… https://t.co/Wlx2LSblo9

— Brandee Barker (@brandee) July 17, 2021

Should be fairly obvious that Facebook is deeply hostile to Democrats. Doesn’t make the Hunter Biden censorship or Trump deplatforming untrue, but allegations that Zuckerberg is aligned with the Dems should bring forth a chuckle. https://t.co/VS200PlAN5

— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) July 17, 2021

A company can simultaneously be helping people get vaccinated & spreading misinformation. When it comes to Facebook, like President Biden, I am concerned about the latter. https://t.co/j263ourap3

— Rep. Zoe Lofgren (@RepZoeLofgren) July 17, 2021

"accusations not supported by facts"

jfc... the nerve https://t.co/5vbemIfY0f

— Catalin Cimpanu (@campuscodi) July 17, 2021

Can't agree more that Fox needs more attention, but...Facebook is, well, two orders of magnitude bigger. https://t.co/jAZldqK43L

— John Battelle (@johnbattelle) July 17, 2021

It takes a lot to get me to side with Facebook on the topic of vaccine misinformation, but the White House managed to do it

So, congrats, or whatever.

smdh

/x https://t.co/RFpDR7Y1A6

— Jorge A. Caballero, MD (@DataDrivenMD) July 17, 2021

What they don't mention (of course) is how disinformation runs rampant on their platform (and amplified by their algorithms) and they could care less. https://t.co/Pm8e4Eh608

— Ryan Hanrahan (@ryanhanrahan) July 16, 2021

“Facebook saves lives” is gonna be a hard sell https://t.co/LFnmnjDhHs

— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) July 17, 2021

This is a common FB way of responding to criticism: saying “look at the bigger number.” Like when Zuckerberg says misinfo is a small portion of the overall information shared on Facebook. It’s also a fact that viral/sensational/fearful claims on FB have kept people from shots. https://t.co/VzdBd2HbxZ

— Sarah Frier (@sarahfrier) July 17, 2021

Two things can be true at once:

- Facebook does a lot of good on the information front.

- Facebook won't close the Pandora's box it created, because the box is the business model, for good and for very bad. https://t.co/4Oc8iJV8lm

— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) July 16, 2021

That statement is embarrassing and frankly, juvenile. "How can we help work with you on this? We want to help save lives. "We understand the reach our platform has & are committed to filtering out disinformation". would have been the correct response. @MarkZuckerbelg - FAIL

— Lapilotodelasmontanas (@DorrieQuinn) July 16, 2021

Facebook exec says it's being 'scapegoated' for Biden's vaccine failure https://t.co/n9GbqlTCcK pic.twitter.com/8dR5kEfmIA

— New York Post (@nypost) July 17, 2021

Facebook is a disgrace. They don't support democracy or our President.

Delete your Facebook account as it is the patriotic thing to do.https://t.co/Jm5xFXHNJv

— Dennis JD, B.S.E.E. (@independant1492) July 17, 2021

Uh oh. @Facebook and @JoeBiden are turning on each other.https://t.co/Z7MzP8IALR

— Ty Clevenger (@Ty_Clevenger) July 17, 2021

A company can simultaneously be helping people get vaccinated & spreading misinformation. When it comes to Facebook, like President Biden, I am concerned about the latter. https://t.co/j263ourap3

— Rep. Zoe Lofgren (@RepZoeLofgren) July 17, 2021

Facebook seems to be under the impression that if they provide life saving information to some people, it’s okay to provide inaccurate information to others, even if it gets them killed.
Well facebook, IT IS NOT Okay!!https://t.co/ygpQZ1I3jL

— cincibaron (@cincibaron) July 17, 2021

Facebook contests Biden's claim that misinformation on the platform is "killing people"

Sorry, Facebook. The President is correct.

https://t.co/7I2WZhy6Tu

— Mike Walker (@New_Narrative) July 17, 2021

Facebook fired back after Biden said that social media platforms are "killing people" by allowing COVID-19 vaccine misinformation on their sites.

"We will not be distracted by accusations which aren't supported by the facts."https://t.co/ksETD0RMDL

— Axios (@axios) July 16, 2021

Facebook pushes back against White House criticism, says it's 'looking for scapegoats' https://t.co/mADE4WBUWQ

— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) July 17, 2021

Facebook exec says platform is a 'scapegoat' for Biden's vaccine failure https://t.co/Eapw6ouQl2 via @nypost

— On A Trump Bender Again! (@TrumpBender2) July 18, 2021