Facebook has pulled the latest video from James O’Keefe and Project Veritas saying it’s spreading COVID-19 misinformation.
“Equating COVID-19 with the common flu could cause people not to take the advice of medical professionals and thus contribute to the virus’ spread.”
New: Facebook spox says company is removing a @JamesOKeefeIII video posted today for violating its policies on COVID-19 misinfo.
"Equating COVID-19 with the common flu could cause people not to take the advice of medical professionals and thus contribute to the virus’ spread." pic.twitter.com/OoTLscKLL6
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 1, 2020
Except the one equating it to the flu in the video was the health professional from the Army National Guard who administered a COVID-19 test to O’Keefe. Here’s the offending segment so you can see if for yourself:
A coronavirus truther in New York tells conspiracy theorist James O'Keefe that coronavirus is "just like the flu", and that he's hanging out "in the tents" with infected patients, but feeling "good".
This propaganda will get people killed. pic.twitter.com/TQDZ8SD9XQ
— Nathan Bernard (@nathanTbernard) March 31, 2020
And here’s the entire video:
To all the blue checkmarks upset about journalism… Do American’s not deserve to know the truth about what is happening on the ground at the supposed EPICENTER of New York’s #COVID19 pandemic!?
Veritas will always go where other “journalists” will not. pic.twitter.com/mASpv5sgqw
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 31, 2020
CNN’s Brian Stelter then wrote it up for his newsletter, admitting the video did not violate YouTube or Twitter’s policies:
Oliver Darcy emails: Facebook on Tuesday night said it would remove a video posted by right-wing activist James O’Keefe for violating the platform’s policies related to Covid-19 misinformation. The video featured O’Keefe goading workers at a drive-thru testing center into criticizing the media and downplaying the public health emergency. O’Keefe, for instance, repeatedly asked if the media was overhyping the situation. One National Guard member equated the virus to the flu and that quote ended up being used by O’Keefe to promote the video. A Facebook spokesperson told me, “Equating COVID-19 with the common flu could cause people not to take the advice of medical professionals and thus contribute to the virus’ spread.”
Spokespeople for Twitter and YouTube said the video didn’t break their policies…
O’Keefe then lit into Stelter for trying to get the video pulled by other platforms, reminding everyone how Stelter didn’t even cover how CBS fired an innocent woman over his Epstein video:
Not ONE WORD about the ABC Amy Robach #EpsteinCoverup scandal. It WAS NOT newsworthy to you ABC colluded with CBS to fire an innocent woman, @brianstelter. But CNN calls every tech company to try get a video of us reporting what literal front line soldiers and workers tell me? pic.twitter.com/OpJD1iuYep
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) April 1, 2020
You know, having video of people giving the tests comparing it to the flu is what used to be known as “reporting”:
Dr. Frank,
Project Veritas is located in Westchester County, and some of our staff live in New Rochelle.
With hidden-camera journalism — unlike a focus group –people actually tell us what they think.
Sometimes that's uncomfortable, but it's honest.
Cordially,
James O'Keefe https://t.co/6ICELIQWbS— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 31, 2020
And what’s also news is that O’Keefe got his test results in under 48 hours (he was negative):
VIDEO UPDATE: Less than 48 hours later, I have received the results of the #COVID19 test I was administered in New Rochelle, New York on Sunday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/j9IrRM0HNM
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) April 1, 2020
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