Many censored social media posts did not contain Covid-19 misinformation

New documents reveal social media posts secretly censored by government during the pandemic contained factual information and reasonable arguments, rather than misinformation.

Digital posts released after Freedom of Information applications show the censored information shared facts such as the ineffectiveness of vaccines in preventing Covid-19 infection and transmission or argued against measures such as mask mandates and lockdowns. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Many of 4000 social media posts secretly censored by government during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic contained ­factual information and reasonable arguments rather than ­misinformation, new documents reveal.

Digital posts released after Freedom of Information applications show the censored information shared facts such as the ineffectiveness of vaccines in preventing Covid-19 infection and transmission or argued against measures such as mask mandates and lockdowns.

For instance, the then Coalition government sought the removal of an Instagram post in April 2021 that claimed “Covid-19 vaccine does not prevent Covid-19 infection or Covid-19 transmission”.

That statement clearly was accurate yet the official intervention via the Home Affairs Department claimed it breached Instagram’s community guidelines because it was “potentially harmful information” that was “explicitly prohibited” by the platform.

A large proportion of posts the government targeted for removal by the digital platforms promoted wild conspiracy theories and misinformation but many others ­simply questioned the effectiveness of lockdowns and masks, shared information now accepted as accurate, and urged people to protest against pandemic ­measures.

An April 2021 tweet was challenged because it claimed “Covid-19 was released or escaped from Wuhan laboratory in China and that it was funded by the US government”.

The Home Affairs Department claimed this was “explicitly prohibited” under Twitter’s rules because it might “invoke a deliberate conspiracy by malicious and/or powerful forces”, yet American intelligence agencies have found the most likely source of the virus was the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and it has been revealed that some work at the laboratory was funded by the US.

American intelligence agencies have found the most likely source of the Covid-19 virus was the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and it has been revealed that some work at the laboratory was funded by the US. Picture: AFP

Over three years up until last month, the federal government paid World Services Australia, an arm of London-based global communications firm M&C Saatchi, more than $1m to monitor Covid-19 posts online and alert it to controversial material.

The Weekend Australian previously revealed how the federal government, under the Coalition and later Labor, intervened more than 4000 times seeking the removal of social media posts by digital giants such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, using the companies own community standards as the ­trigger.

The information came to light as a result of FOI applications by Liberal senator Alex Antic.

Questions on notice from Senator Antic have now produced details of these interventions, revealing extensive efforts to suppress even factual information.

Senator Antic said this had confirmed his worst fears.

“During the Covid period, Home Affairs actively sought censorship of true statements such as ‘lockdowns are ineffective’ and compelled social media companies to penalise dissent from the government’s position,” Senator Antic said.

“This is gravely concerning for all Australians who care about freedom of speech.”

One Facebook video post in January 2021 was targeted for removal because it encouraged “civil disobedience”.

SA senator Alex Antic. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

It depicted a “recognised misinformation influencer” in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens “blatantly walking up to signs that ask people to maintain physical distancing and hiding them from view”.

Many other social media posts were censored for opposing mask mandates and questioning the ­effectiveness of lockdowns and vaccines.

This was censorship on an industrial scale, with the private contractor tasked to trawl through social media posts 24/7.

Senator Antic said the revelations were “gravely concerning” to all Australians who cared about freedom of speech.

He said this amounted to a “censorship industrial complex” and raised fears about this type of intervention being expanded under the proposed Misinformation Bill that would allow for the issuing of multimillion-dollar fines against platforms found to be hosting “misinformation or disinformation”.

“It’s never been more imperative that we protect freedom of speech in Australia and reject this bill,” Senator Antic said.