Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House, Medical Community Call Out Musk's 'Dangerous' Fauci Tweets
Axios: Musk's Fauci Tweet Angers Medical Twitter
Members of the medical community lashed out at Elon Musk on Sunday after Musk tweeted, without apparent context, "My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci" in reference to the outgoing NIAID director. Some medical experts have already left the social media platform since Musk took over and stopped enforcing COVID disinformation policies. However, many health care users have largely continued using Twitter. (Reed, 12/12)
The Hill: White House Calls Attacks On Fauci ‘Incredibly Dangerous’ After Musk Tweets
The White House on Monday condemned social media attacks against Anthony Fauci days after Twitter owner Elon Musk posted a tweet mocking the infectious diseases expert. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, asked about Musk’s tweets criticizing Fauci, called them “personal attacks” that are “incredibly dangerous.” (Samuels, 12/12)
In related news about Twitter —
Fox News: Vaccine Researcher Dr. Robert Malone Reinstated On Twitter After Being Banned Over COVID Misinformation Policy
Twitter on Monday unsuspended the account of Dr. Robert Malone, who was previously kicked off the platform for his posts on coronavirus vaccines. Malone, an mRNA vaccine researcher, was removed from Twitter nearly a year ago for apparently violating the social media site's policy on COVID-19 misinformation. He had repeatedly made claims regarding the effectiveness of the vaccines. (Mion, 12/13)
Fierce Healthcare: As Twitter Rolls Back Its Ban On COVID Misinformation, Some Health Experts Worry About Threat To Public Health
The volume of COVID-19 misinformation has jumped alarmingly on Twitter, according to research from Timothy Graham, senior lecturer in digital media at Queensland University of Queensland (QUT). He ran an analysis measuring the marked increased in seven words commonly used in COVID misinformation circles, revealing the steady decrease in content moderation since Musk purchased the company in late October. Terms searched were the combinations of "Bioweapon and Wuhan", "COVID and deep state", "COVID and hoax", "COVID and wake up" and "Fauci and lied." (Burky, 12/12)
The Washington Post: Twitter Dissolves Trust And Safety Council
Twitter first formed the Trust and Safety Council in 2016, as social networks were coming under greater scrutiny for their role in amplifying hate, terrorism, child exploitation and other problematic content online. ... The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which was a member of the council, will be “keeping a lookout for how they restructure,” said Gavin Portnoy, the center’s vice president. (Zakrzewski, Mennand Nix, 12/12)
And plans for a covid commission have stalled —
The New York Times: Plan For Commission To Investigate Covid Response Stalls In Congress
The nation was reeling from an unfathomable number of deaths. Politicians were pointing fingers, asking why the United States had been so ill-prepared for a lethal threat. Congress, defying the White House, ordered an independent investigation. That was 20 years ago, and what came of it was a national reckoning. A bipartisan panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks held televised hearings, developed 41 recommendations for how to improve national security and produced a best-selling book — a gripping historical narrative about what had gone wrong. (Stolberg, 12/12)
