Green groups are calling on Facebook, Google, and Twitter to treat inaccurate posts about climate change as hate speech.
Some environmental groups are calling for Facebook, Google, Twitter Inc. and other social media the company handles inaccurate posts about climate change for harmful content like hate speech and lies about Covid-19.
In a letter published Tuesday, advocacy groups asked the companies, as well as ByteDance TikTok by Ltd. and Pinterest Inc., to reveal more about how they handle “climate misinformation.” Specifically, the letter calls on companies to report this content category under the new European Digital Services Act, which monitors how platforms censor illegal and harmful media, fines if they do not meet certain criteria.
“Social media companies are held accountable for their role in amplifying and perpetuating climate misinformation but transparency, which can be gauged with accuracy, has been lacking from all foundation,” the groups wrote. Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and 12 other public and environmental advocacy groups signed the letter.
Starting in 2020, many social platforms are starting to change the way they curb climate change after years of adopting a hands-on approach. Facebook and Google’s YouTube have promised to reduce the spread of climate science denial posts. Pinterest says it will ban this content outright. Critics say the platforms have struggled to enforce these rules. Facebook’s Center for Accurate Climate Information is barely accessible.
