‘Events that defy government’s guidance on social distancing aren’t allowed on Facebook…’
(Joshua Paladino, Liberty Headlines) Facebook officials have removed the “Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine” page, which had about 386,000 members, in their latest act of censoring Americans who dissent from coronavirus orthodoxy.
Garrett Soldano, who started the page, tweeted on May 12 that Facebook censored his group, Mid-Michigan Now reported.
They just shut us down. We have a new page.
Here’s the new one https://t.co/S1zvPYuwu8
Invite invite invite
We will not be shut down!#StandUpMichigan @seanhannity @FoxNews @TuckerCarlson— Garrett Soldano (@GarrettSoldano) May 13, 2020
About 38,000 people follow Soldano’s new page, Stand Up Michigan.
Bid day for our movement. Our new page “Stand Up Michigan” is growing faster than the old one.
We will NOT quit on you Michiganders
??❤️??#StandUpMichigan #controlthescroll pic.twitter.com/3d1QpWjCFV— Garrett Soldano (@GarrettSoldano) May 13, 2020
Neither Soldano nor Facebook has provided an explanation for removing the group.
Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine served as a meeting place for those who opposed the state’s mandatory house arrest and business closures.
The group also was used to promote protests at the state capitol and other political activities.
A Facebook spokesperson said the platform will censor all posts that contradict the “government’s guidance.”
“Unless government prohibits the event during this time, we allow it to be organized on Facebook. For this same reason, events that defy government’s guidance on social distancing aren’t allowed on Facebook,” the spokesperson said, Cleveland.com reported.
Facebook has effectively joined forces with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has sought to discredit those who protest her executive decrees.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in April that content moderators will remove posts, comments, pages, and groups that violate the platform’s “community standards.”
Violations of community standards can include spreading “misinformation” about the coronavirus.
Facebook officials have defined misinformation to include anything that goes against World Health Organization or government orders, even though they are often confusing and contradictory.