SOCIAL MEDIA TACKLES ‘PLANDEMIC’

Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms have removed a viral documentary-style video titled “Plandemic” that promoted conspiracy theories about the coronavirus.

The 26-minute video, which was framed as part of a longer documentary on the coronavirus pandemic, promoted several false claims, including that wearing a face mask makes it easier to get the virus and that shelter-in-place orders hurt the immune system.

It also claimed without evidence that the coronavirus was invented in a laboratory in order to promote vaccinations. Judy Mikovits, an anti-vaccination activist, makes many of the claims in the video.

The video received more than 1 million videos on multiple platforms before it was removed, according to reports. It has gone viral in recent days, being shared by users with large follower counts including NFL players and Instagram influencers, according to NBC.

“Suggesting that wearing a mask can make you sick could lead to imminent harm, so we’re removing the video,” Facebook told Reuters.

YouTube told CNBC the video was removed for making claims about a cure for COVID-19 that is not backed by health officials.