Facebook imposed restrictions on a private Macomb County group for spreading false information about COVID-19.
Facebook imposed restrictions and fact-check monitoring on a private Macomb County group that has been spreading false information and baseless conspiracy theories about COVID-19.
The Moms for Liberty Macomb County chapter, which has ties to shadowy right-wing groups, has been spreading dangerous disinformation at a time when Michigan is leading the country in new COVID-19 cases.
Some of the false claims include:
• People who received Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine don’t need vaccine boosters.
• People who died in a stampede at a recent Texas concert were killed by COVID-19 vaccinations – and the concert was a satanic ritual.
• Vaccines infect people with the virus.
• Vaccinated children become super-spreaders.
Group members are also helping each other find religious and medical exemptions to avoid getting a vaccine.
Critics of the group applauded Facebook’s actions against the group.
“Moms for Liberty is putting the lives of our children and our loved ones in danger with dangerous disinformation and preventing Moms for Liberty from continuing to spread their anti-science lies is critical to keeping our families safe,” Amanda Angst, a Macomb County parent with two children in high school and a member of Michigan Parents Alliance for Safe Schools, which supports masks in schools, said in a statement. “Across Michigan and throughout the nation, Moms for Liberty has threatened and bullied school board members and public health professionals to ignore evidence-based safety measures such as masks and vaccine requirements. Moms for Liberty and its supporters must be held accountable for throwing gasoline on Michigan’s COVID-19 wildfire that’s pushing hospitals to the brink of collapse and forcing classrooms to shut down because of uncontrolled outbreaks and disease spread.”
Moms for Liberty Inc., a nationwide group with local chapters, receives funds from Conservatives for Good Government, a right-wing Florida political action committee, and groups connected to the Koch brothers. The group also hosts big-dollar fundraisers, including an event on June 15 featuring former Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
Under the new restrictions, posts will be reviewed by fact-checkers, and people who spread misinformation will be barred from commenting. If the lies continue, Facebook may then disable the page.
People who try to join the page also are presented with a message from Facebook that reads, “Get the facts about Coronavirus. When it comes to health, everyone wants reliable, up-to-date information. It’s important to separate fact from false information and hoaxes. See the latest from health authorities for answers to questions you may have about coronavirus (COVID-19).”
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