One whole day: That's how long Facebook's COVID-19 content moderation went without a mess

One whole day after telling the world it was going to do its very best to ensure that only high-quality COVID-19 content from proper sources would spread on Facebook, The Social Network has mistakenly identified just such content as violating its community standards. This one seemingly started with Mike Godwin, a US-based …

[harmjschoonhoven]

Facebook?

Do not know it. Never touched it with a 10 foot pole.

[Teiwaz]

Facebook?

Another virus.

I've been self-isolating for years.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Facebook?

Yes. that was my definition of "social distancing" before it became a physical necessity in these days...

[Gonzo_the_Geek]

Took out Beeb news article posts too.

Saw a tweet from the BBC this morning which said their stories were also flagged as spam by Facebook, with an identical response from FB.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Updated every minute, 17-year-old whiz kid’s coronavirus site used by millions"

Well, that's certainly a choice of title that triggered a few "probably bollocks" detector neurons here. OK, it didn't also have "one weird trick", or "top ten", but still ....

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Updated every minute, 17-year-old whiz kid’s coronavirus site used by millions"

Especially as the site is just inlining someone elses map (BNO news), and downloading their data.

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2020/02/the-latest-coronavirus-cases/

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1a04iBi41DznkMaQRnICO40ktROfnMfMx&ll=38.66080654007375%2C10.1953125&z=2

[cosymart]

Wow

Godwin is an actual person and is still alive - Kudos

[Wellyboot]

Re: Wow

So is old Adolf according to some conspiracy nutters (he'd be 130 now)

[FrogsAndChips]

Re: Wow

When you think about it, actually a lot of Internet founding fathers and other figures are still alive. The WWW is only 30 years old after all.

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Wow

Well, yes. He was well-known in some online circles before he coined (I think "founded" is a little strong) Godwin's Law. I knew him on rec.arts.books and other Usenet newsgroups; that was one of the place he first posted GL. I dare say there are plenty of other Reg readers who saw some of those initial formulations.

He's also well-known for his work with EFF, Wikimedia Foundation, etc. And recently and controversially with ISOC.

As for "still alive" - he's only in his mid-60s.

[Tom 35]

Alex Stamos of infowars? Who gives a shit what he has to say.

[Michael Wojcik]

No, Alex Stamos of Stanford and the Hoover Institution, formerly of Facebook. Perhaps you are thinking of Alex Jones?

(If only there were some way to easily check this sort of thing before posting...)