Tuesday 29 November 2022 01:24 PM Twitter drops its Covid-19 misleading information policy trends now
Twitter has ditched its COVID-19 misleading information policy in the latest change amid a raft of shake ups by new owner Elon Musk.
On the company's website, the change, which was implemented on November 23, was last night quietly added via a note on the 'transparency' page that some users spotted.
The post said: 'Effective November 23, 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the COVID-19 misinformation policy.' Twitter had developed the extensive set of rules in 2020 in a bid to prevent 'harmful misinformation' about COVID and vaccines.
Before Musk's Twitter takeover, the social media giant suspended more than 11,000 accounts for breaking their coronavirus misinformation rules and 100,000 pieces of content were removed. It comes as Musk vowed to soon reinstate previously banned Twitter accounts which could include some of the 11,000 suspended under the previous coronavirus rules.
On the company's website, the change, which was implemented on November 23, was last night quietly added via a note on the 'transparency' page that some users spotted. Pictured: Musk
The post said: 'Effective November 23, 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the COVID-19 misinformation policy'
While it has not formally been explained why the rules have changed, the billionaire appears to be anti vaccine mandates and in the past seemed to back a protest against them, writing 'Canadian truckers' rule, in response to a demonstration. It is despite the fact he has said he and his family are fully vaccinated.
His decision to outlaw the coronavirus misleading information policy comes as America is still seeing 305,000 cases and 2,600 deaths a week, according to the CDC.
He has also made a huge number of other changes at Twitter to misinformation policies and procedures.
One change announced days ago was that suspended Twitter accounts will be offered an 'amnesty' from this week after a poll revealed a landslide of users support the move.
The Twitter CEO, who completed a $44 billion takeover in October, said accounts for users will be restored as long as they have not broken the law or spammed people on the social media site.
While it has not formally been explained why the rules have changed, the billionaire appears to be anti vaccine mandates and in the past seemed to back a protest against them, writing 'Canadian truckers' rule , in response to a demonstration. It is despite the fact he has said he and his family are fully vaccinated
The poll posted online asked: 'Should Twitter offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam?'
Some 72.4 percent of voters said yes, while 27.6 percent said no. There were 3,162,112 votes cast during the 24-hour poll.
Musk said on Thursday: 'The people have spoken. Amnesty begins next week. Vox Populi, Vox Dei.' The Latin phrase means 'the voice of the people is the voice of God'.
The declaration opens up the possibility that thousands of suspended accounts will be immediately reinstated. It has not been revealed if there will be a vetting process before the reactivation or if there will be a mass reactivation.
Musk has already restored Donald Trump, Kanye West, Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson and Marjorie Taylor Green's accounts. It is likely that he could also reinstate other controversial Twitter accounts including figures such as Steve Bannon, Wiley and Katie Hopkins.
The declaration opens up the possibility that thousands of suspended accounts will be immediately reinstated. It has not been revealed if there will be a vetting process before the reactivation or if there will be a mass reactivation. Pictured: Trump, whose Twitter account Musk has reinstated
Musk has already restored Donald Trump, Kanye West, Andrew Tate, pictured, Jordan Peterson and Marjorie Taylor Green's accounts. It is likely that he could also reinstate other controversial Twitter accounts including figures such as Steve Bannon, Wiley and Katie Hopkins
And earlier this month, in another change, Musk fired Twitter contractors responsible for battling misinformation on the site. The social media giant fired its contractors that track hate and other harmful content.
Some of the contractors said they did not know they were fired until they tried to login for work.
As fears on misinformation grow, it was last night revealed that the White House are monitoring Musk's account.
It comes after the WHO warned in April of the dangers of vaccine and health misinformation ahead of the takeover by
