Schiff targets COVID-19 misinformation

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is pressing Amazon and Facebook to address the spread of COVID-19 misinformation, accusing the tech giants of “directly profiting from the sensationalism of antivaccine misinformation.”

“We cannot allow the rapid and dangerous spread of anti-vaccine marketing and misinformation to keep Americans from the valid, factual information they need to protect themselves from this virus,” Schiff wrote to the companies in letters shared by his office Thursday.

Schiff’s letter is part of an ongoing push from congressional Democrats and the Biden administration for tech giants to accelerate efforts to remove misinformation about vaccines and the coronavirus.

Schiff’s letter to Amazon focuses on the e-commerce giant’s algorithm and recommendation system that he said is promoting “dangerous misinformation on vaccines.”