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.

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Specifications Leaked in Full
  2. Lava Agni 4 Teased With Dual Rear Camera System Ahead of Launch
  3. Apple Tipped to Launch iPhone 18 Pro in Three Entirely New Colours
  1. Lava Agni 4 Teased to Come With Dual Rear Camera System; Certification Site Listing Reveals Battery Specifications
  2. Microsoft Announces Latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build With Ask Copilot in Taskbar, Shared Audio Feature
  3. Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Specifications Leaked in Full; Major Camera Upgrades Tipped
  4. iPhone 18 Pro Tipped to Launch in Burgundy, Coffee, and Other New Colour Options
  5. SpaceX Revises Artemis III Moon Mission with Simplified Starship Design
  6. Rare ‘Second-Generation’ Black Holes Detected, Proving Einstein Right Again
  7. Starlink Hiring for Payments, Tax and Accounting Roles in Bengaluru as Firm Prepares for Launch in India
  8. Google's 'Min Mode' for Always-on Display Mode Spotted in Development on Android 17: Report
  9. OpenAI Upgrades Sora App With Character Cameos, Video Stitching and Leaderboard
  10. Samsung's AI-Powered Priority Notifications Spotted in New One UI 8.5 Leak
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.