Threads blocks COVID terms search results, raises free speech worries

EVEN WITH THE PANDEMIC OVER —

POSTS MENTIONING COVID ARE STILL BEING COMBED THROUGH BY BIG TECH.

THE LATEST EXAMPLE –

INSTAGRAM’S MESSAGING APP “THREADS” IS BLOCKING USERS FROM SEARCHING COVID, LONG COVID, VACCINES, AND OTHER KEY COVID RELATED TERMS.

IF YOU TRY TO SEARCH FOR COVID POSTS ON THE APP –

THE RESULTS WILL COME UP BLOCKED –

AND DIRECT USERS TO THE CDC’S WEBSITE.

ACCORDING TO META – THE PARENT COMPANY OF FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM –

THREADS WILL INTENTIONALLY CENSOR SEARCH RESULTS FOR TERMS THAT COULD SHOW SENSITIVE CONTENT.

IF YOU TRY TO SEARCH WORDS LIKE “NUDE” “PORN” OR “SEX” –

SEARCHES ARE BLOCKED.

THREADS HAS NOW PUT “VACCINE” “VACCINATION” AND “CORONAVIRUS” IN THE SAME CATEGORY.

THE NEW SEARCH FUNCTION WAS ROLLED OUT LAST WEEK ON THE FAIRLY NEW PLATFORM.

META SAYS IT IS REFINING THE TOOL AND WILL UPDATE ITS “SEARCH FUNCTIONALITY” ONCE THEY ARE CONFIDENT IN THE QUALITY OF THE RESULTS.

THE MOVE BY THREADS HAS BEEN MET WITH CRITICISM.

SOME HEALTH WORKERS ARGUE THE SITE IS TAKING AWAY A RESOURCE OF INFORMATION –

AT A TIME WHEN NEW COVID VARIANTS ARE CIRCULATING.

“LONG COVID” – A TERM THAT IS BEING BLOCKED IN THREADS’ SEARCH RESULTS –

WAS ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED THROUGH PEOPLE SHARING SYMPTOMS ONLINE.

THE TERM ITSELF WAS FIRST COINED BY A TWITTER USER BEFORE BEING USED BY THE CDC.

BUT CURRENTLY THROUGH THREADS SEARCH ENGINE –

USERS WON’T BE ABLE TO SIFT THROUGH POSTS THAT EVEN MENTION THE WORD.

META HAS DECIDED FOR NOW THE RISK OF DISINFORMATION OUTWEIGHS THE BENEFIT OF **ANY INFORMATION.

IT’S THE LATEST DEBATE PART OF A LARGER ONE – THAT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS HAS BEEN COVERING – ON 

WHETHER SOCIAL MEDIA’S CENSORSHIP OF COVID POSTS – STILL HAPPENING TODAY –

IS PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM WHAT THE PLATFORM DEEMS AS FALSE INFORMATION –

OR IF IT’S AN ENCROACHMENT ON THE PRINCIPLE OF  FREE SPEECH.