Reference:
Godlee, F., & Abbasi, K. (2022). Open letter from BMJ to Facebook about inappropriate censoring of serious data integrity issues in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine trial. Retrieved from https://www.scientificfreedom.dk/2021/12/18/open-letter-from-bmj-to-facebook-about-inappropriate-censoring-of-serious-data-integrity-issues-in-pf
Summary:
In an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg, editors Fiona Godlee and Kamran Abbasi of The BMJ express grave concerns regarding Facebook’s fact-checking practices, particularly in relation to an article covering data integrity issues in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine trial. Following the publication of their investigative piece, readers faced difficulties sharing the article, with many posts flagged for allegedly containing “false information.” The BMJ argues that the fact-checking conducted by a third-party contractor, Lead Stories, was inaccurate and irresponsible, failing to identify any factual errors in their article. They request the removal of the misleading labels and urge Facebook to reassess its fact-checking processes. The letter highlights broader issues concerning the reliability of information shared on social media platforms, calling for a more rigorous approach to fact-checking to protect high-quality medical sources.