Mississippi health department blocks [public] Facebook comments [on its page] over COVID-19 misinformation

The Hill ^ | 07/13/21 07:19 PM EDT | CELINE CASTRONUOVO -

[BenLurkin]

Mississippi’s health department is aiming to combat misinformation on COVID-19 by limiting users' ability to comment on its Facebook posts related to case numbers and vaccine distribution.

Liz Sharlot, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi State Department of Health, told The Associated Press that the “comments section of our Facebook page has increasingly come to be dominated by misinformation about COVID-19.”

Sharlot added that the false information included in the comments from various social media users could “mislead the public about the safety, importance and effectiveness of vaccination.”

While the comments section is open on department posts related to other health issues, including one on Tuesday about a program for cancer survivors, all posts from recent days related to COVID-19 cases as well as hospitalization, death and vaccination rates do not contain the comment function.

Instead, the comments section reads, “Mississippi State Department of Health limited who can comment on this post.”

[lodi90]

Red states shouldn’t even be on facebook.

[Uncle Miltie]

“Ivermectin Works!” is now banned speech.

[Flick Lives]

Mississippi’s health department is aiming to combat misinformation on COVID-19 by limiting users’ ability to comment on its Facebook posts related to case numbers and vaccine distribution.

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Nothing says a free and open society like prohibiting public comment.