Facebook will remove false claims that the wildfires in Oregon were deliberately started by certain groups, according to policy communications director Andy stone. Stone tweeted that the platform was taking the action following confirmation from law enforcement that the rumors were’forcing local fire and police agencies to divert resources from fighting the fires and protecting the public’.
This is consistent with our efforts to remove content that could lead to imminent harm. This is according to the recent efforts of removing content.
The FBI’s Portland division tweeted Friday that’conspiracy theories and misinformation take valuable resources away from local fire and police agencies working around the clock’.
Officials in Oregon say they have been inundated with calls about the false online rumors that members of the left-wing protest group antifa had been arrested for setting fires in Douglas County. Officials say they are inundated with requests for information and inquiries on an untrue rumor that 6 antifa members have been arrested the rumor was promoted on social media by followers of the right-wing qanon conspiracy theory.