The attorneys common of 14 US states despatched a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg asking if the highest disseminators of vaccine disinformation on the platform obtained particular remedy from the corporate.

The line of inquiry was generated after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen used inner paperwork to reveal that the social media platform has constructed a system that exempts high-profile customers from some or all of its guidelines.

In the letter, which was despatched on Wednesday, the 14 Democratic attorneys common mentioned they’re “extremely concerned” with latest experiences that Facebook maintained lists of members who’ve obtained particular remedy and need to know if the “Disinformation Dozen” had been a part of these lists.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate describes the “Disinformation Dozen” as 12 anti-vaxxers who’re liable for nearly two-thirds of anti-vaccine content material circulating on social media platforms.

Facebook spokesman Alex Burgos pointed to earlier feedback by the corporate that it had eliminated over three dozen pages, teams, and Facebook or Instagram accounts linked to these 12 individuals, together with a minimum of one linked to every of the 12, for violating its insurance policies. It has additionally utilized penalties to a few of their web site domains.

COVID-19 disinformation has proliferated in the course of the pandemic on social media websites together with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Researchers and lawmakers have lengthy accused Facebook of failing to police dangerous content material on its platforms.

In July, US President Joe Biden mentioned social media platforms like Facebook “are killing people” for permitting misinformation about coronavirus vaccines to be posted on its platform.

Haugen, a former product supervisor on Facebook’s civic misinformation staff, left the corporate with tens of 1000’s of confidential paperwork and has known as for transparency about how Facebook entices customers to maintain scrolling, creating ample alternative for advertisers to succeed in them.

The letter was despatched by the attorneys common of Connecticut, California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

© Thomson Reuters 2021