Twitter Won't Remove Elon Musk's Coronavirus Misinformation Tweets Despite the company stating it will remove content questioning the severity of the virus or offering health advice without scientific support, Twitter says Elon Musk did not violate its rules when he tweeted that children are 'essentially immune.'

By Adam Smith

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on PC Mag

via PC Mag

Twitter has said it will take down content that questions the severity of the virus or tweets that offer health advice without citing scientific evidence such as, Twitter says, "'COVID-19 does not infect children because we haven't seen any cases of children being sick."' That is, except when it comes to Elon Musk.

On March 19, Musk tweeted coronavirus misinformation. In a post that, at time of writing, has nearly 4000 likes, Musk said that "Kids are essentially immune [to the coronavirus], but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable. Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents probably most risky."

As Business Insider points out, children are not immune to the virus and can still be infected, even if they are at a comparably lower risk than adults and elderly people. In a statement to Business Insider, however, Twitter argued that Musk's tweets "didn't violate its rules when looking at the overall context and conclusion" and would "continue to consult its fact-checking partners to identify misinformation that was most harmful."

This is not the first time that Musk has downplayed the severity of the virus. In a previous tweet, the Tesla CEO told his 32.5 million followers that panicking over the virus was "dumb" - a statement that received approximately 350K retweets and nearly two million likes.

Adam Smith

Contributing Editor PC Mag UK

Adam Smith is the Contributing Editor for PCMag UK, and has written about technology for a number of publications including What Hi-Fi?, Stuff, WhatCulture, and MacFormat, reviewing smartphones, speakers, projectors, and all manner of weird tech. Always online, occasionally cromulent, you can follow him on Twitter @adamndsmith.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Barbara Corcoran Sounds Off on NAR Settlement: 'It's a Scary Time for Real Estate Agents'

The "Shark Tank" star took to Instagram to share her thoughts on Friday's ruling.

Side Hustle

Her 'Crude Prototype' and $50 Craigslist Purchase Launched a Side Hustle That Hit $1 Million in Sales — Now the Business Generates Up to $20 Million a Year

Elle Rowley experienced a "surge of creative inspiration" after she had her first baby in 2009 — and it wasn't long before she landed on a great idea.

Starting a Business

A Side Hustle Consultant Shares the Most Lucrative Gigs Right Now

Plus, he answers the side hustle questions he gets most often from clients.

Starting a Business

She Never Wanted to Start a Business, But Chronic Insomnia Was Motivation — Here's How She Achieved $20 Million in Sales and 8 Hours of Sleep a Night

Dr. Kathrin Hamm, founder and CEO of sleep-wellness company Bearaby, wanted to find a solution for her sleeplessness — and the products on the market weren't cutting it.

Marketing

Why Being Your Own Influencer Is the Key to Success For Entrepreneurs

Are you showing up as a face in your business? If not, here is why you are missing a major opportunity for brand impact and loyalty and what you can do about it.