Facebook has taken down the official page of conspiracy theorist David Icke for publishing “health misinformation that could cause physical harm”.
Mr Icke has made several false claims about coronavirus, such as suggesting 5G mobile phone networks are linked to the spread of the virus.
In one video, he suggested a Jewish group was behind the virus.
Following the ban, his Twitter account posted: “Fascist Facebook deletes David Icke – the elite are TERRIFIED.”
Campaign
On Friday, campaign group the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)Â published an open letter calling on tech companies to ban Mr Icke’s accounts.
The letter said Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube had amplified “Icke’s racism and misinformation about Covid-19 to millions of people”.
It was co-signed by MP Damian Collins, as well as celebrity medics Dr Christian Jessen, Dr Dawn Harper and Dr Pixie McKenna.
The CCDH said videos of Mr Icke making “untrue and conspiracist claims about Covid-19” had been watched more than 30 million times online.
As examples, it cited:
- a YouTube interview in which Mr Icke falsely claimed that a Jewish group was behind coronavirus
- an Instragram post in which he falsely claimed 5G mobile networks left people unable to absorb oxygen
- a YouTube video in which he falsely claimed it was not possible to catch a virus from shaking hands
- a Twitter post in which he falsely claimed Germany was moving to “legalise rape” for Muslim men
In April, YouTube removed an interview with Mr Icke in which he said there “is a link between 5G and this health crisis”.
When asked for his reaction to reports of 5G masts being set on fire in England and Northern Ireland, he responded: “If 5G continues and reaches where they want to take it, human life as we know it is over… so people have to make a decision.”
Facebook later removed the same video saying it broke its rules on misinformation.
Later, the telecoms regulator Ofcom found local TV channel London Live in breach of standards for an interview it aired with Mr Icke about coronavirus.
Source: BBC
