12 state AGs push Facebook and Twitter to crack down on COVID-19 vaccine disinformation

Washington — A group of 12 state attorneys general on Wednesday urged Facebook and Twitter to "take immediate steps" to crack down on online "anti-vaxxer" falsehoods amid the ongoing effort to vaccinate the public against COVID-19.

In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, the attorneys general pressed the social media giants to fully "identify and enforce" the companies' terms of service to combat against vaccine disinformation and misinformation. "A small group of individuals use your platforms to downplay the dangers of COVID-19 and spread misinformation about the safety of vaccines," the group said. "These individuals lack medical expertise and are often motivated by financial interests."