Facebook criticised for removing posts organising protest against coronavirus lockdown

Americans unhappy with coronavirus restrictions could have trouble gaining more support after one of their biggest platforms turned its back on them.

The world’s biggest social media website is removing event posts aimed at organising protests against public restrictions introduced to try to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Despite now being the nation most hard hit by the coronavirus, having more cases and deaths than any other, Americans have been taking to the streets demanding the end of lockdowns and restrictions designed to stop the virus from spreading further.

As is now the norm, many of these protests are primarily being organised and attracting attention via Facebook.

But the social media site wants none of it.

According to US politics news outlet Politico, Facebook has already removed posts for protests in California, New Jersey and Nebraska.

A Facebook spokesman told the site it had been instructed by governments that the events were banned under lockdown and social-distancing orders issued by state authorities.

"We reached out to state officials to understand the scope of their orders, not about removing specific protests on Facebook," the company spokesman told Politico.

"We remove the posts when gatherings do not follow the health parameters established by the government and are therefore unlawful."

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Hundreds have protested in cities across America against coronavirus-related lockdowns — with encouragement from President Donald Trump — as resentment grows against the crippling economic cost of confinement. Picture: Nicholas Kamm / AFP

The New Jersey governor’s office told the website that Facebook had been consulted but not told to remove the posts.

The office of Nebraska’s governor also said it had only given Facebook information that was already public about its social distancing policies and not requested the site pull any events down.

Conservative political figures, including the US President Donald Trump’s son of the same name, have criticised Facebook for removing the posts, continuing their long-running campaign against social media websites for what they perceive as suppression of conservatives.

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Why is @Facebook colluding with state governments to quash peoples free speech?

Regardless of what you think about the lockdowns or the protests against them, this is a chilling & disturbing government directed shutdown of peoples 1st Amendment rights. Very dangerous! https://t.co/rnG09TSVhI

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 20, 2020

Republican senator from Missouri — home to more than 5800 coronavirus cases that have led to 200 deaths — Josh Hawley suggested Facebook was removing the posts because “free speech is now illegal”.

Many of those protesting are vocal supporters of Mr Trump (or at least appear to be, holding up signs pledging their allegiance and wearing his famed red hats at the protests).

A man wears a version of the Make America Great Again hat popularised by Donald Trump on his way to winning the 2016 US presidential election. Picture: Nicholas Kamm / AFP

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The protests have been spurred on by the President’s rhetoric around state’s being reopened for business.

He also encouraged protests on his Twitter account, saying residents of Virginia, Michigan and Minnesota should “LIBERATE” their states.

LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020

While Donald Trump Jr has called the removal of the protest posts an attack on free speech (the first amendment of the US constitution), his father has linked the protests to the second amendment, which gives Americans the constitutional right to bear arms for the purpose of overthrowing government.

Many of the posts seeking to organise protests appear to have links to gun groups. Picture: Nicholas Kamm / AFP

Conservatives argue social media sites are suppressing their perspectives by removing posts from social media, but those on the other side of the aisle are doubting whether some of those perspectives are genuine in the first place.

Speculation has been spreading online that the protests are an “astroturf” campaign (named after the fake turf to describe a movement purporting to be grassroots that is actually sponsored by corporate or state actors or organisations).

Two protests. Two different places. Two remarkably-similar "handwritten" signs.

Tell me again how the "reopen protests" are not astroturf BS.#ksleg pic.twitter.com/hZO4U1CBVR

— Matthew Calcara 🦄 (@MattCalcara) April 19, 2020

Critics point to similarities in the descriptions of different state’s protest event postings on Facebook and in signs displayed at separate protests.

They’ve also highlighted links between the protest movements and gun groups in different states.

One Reddit user even claimed public data showed multiple websites calling for various states to be reopened or liberated were all registered by one person in Florida, who registered all the domains on the same day around the same time.