Twitter Flags China Spokesman's Tweet on COVID-19

Twitter posted a blue exclamation mark under a tweet with a comment urging readers to check the facts about COVID-19.

Advertisement
By Reuters | Updated: 29 May 2020 10:08 IST
Highlights
  • Twitter is ramping up fact-checking of posts
  • Twitter fact-checked US president for the first time on Tuesday
  • It has now fact-checked Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian

Twitter fact-checked US President Donald Trump for the first time on Tuesday

Twitter has flagged a tweet written in March by a Chinese government spokesman that suggested the US military brought the novel coronavirus to China, as the social media platform ramps up fact-checking of posts. Twitter posted a blue exclamation mark under a tweet by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, with a comment urging readers to check the facts about COVID-19.

"When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" Zhao wrote on March 12.

 

 

Advertisement

Clicking on the link directed readers to a page with the headline, "WHO says evidence suggests COVID-19 originated in animals and was not produced in a lab".

Advertisement

Twitter fact-checked US President Donald Trump for the first time on Tuesday over his claims about mail-in ballots, under what it says was an extension of a "misleading information policy" aimed at combating misinformation about COVID-19.

Trump lashed out at Twitter in response and has said he would introduce legislation that may scrap or weaken a law that shields social media companies from liability for content posted by their users.

Advertisement

© Thomson Reuters 2020


Is Redmi Note 9 Pro Max the best affordable camera phone in India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Vivo Y31 Series With 6,500mAh Battery Launched in India: See Price
  2. Samsung Begins Rolling Out One UI 8 Update to the Galaxy S25 Series
  3. Nothing Announces Offers on Phones, Wearables During Flipkart Sale
  4. [Exclusive] Noise to Launch Flagship Master Series Over-Ear Headphones Soon
  5. Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale: Discounts on Motorola Phones Announced
  6. OnePlus 15 Leaked Image Reveals Colourways, Redesigned Camera Module
  7. iQOO 15 Live Image Leaked; Company Reveals Display Details
  8. Oppo Find X9 Launch Timeline Revealed: See Find X9 Pro Camera Samples
  9. iPhone 18 Series to Feature a Smaller Dynamic Island, Tipster Claims
  10. Xiaomi 17 Pro Max Tipped to Come With a Secondary Display
  1. iOS 26 Update Released Alongside iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe: Check Eligible Models, How to Download
  2. Scientists Propose Space Missions to Chase Down Interstellar Comets
  3. Iceland Plume Discovery Reveals Ancient Volcanic Funnels Across North Atlantic
  4. Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Design Renders Leaked, Could Launch Soon
  5. Marvel's Wolverine Will Reportedly Launch in 2026; Insomniac's Venom Game in 'Active Development'
  6. US President Donald Trump Challenges Block on Removing US Fed’s Lisa Cook
  7. iPhone 17 Series Outpaces iPhone 16 in Demand While iPhone 17 Pro Max Tops Pre-Orders, Analyst Says
  8. iPhone 16 Remained Top Selling Smartphone For Second Consecutive Quarter Globally: Report
  9. Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Launched in India With 6.7-Inch AMOLED Screen, 50-Megapixel Camera: Price, Features
  10. iPhone 18 Series Tipped to Feature Smaller Dynamic Island, Might Launch Without Under-Display Face ID
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.