Internet platforms vow joint effort to stem virus misinformation

WASHINGTON: The large US internet platforms have pledged a joint effort to root out misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and to promote “authoritative content” about the crisis. A joint statement was issued late Monday by Facebook, Google, Twitter, Microsoft and Reddit along with Google-owned YouTube and Microsoft-owned LinkedIn. “We are working closely together on COVID-19 response efforts.” the joint statement said. “We’re helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world.