Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan told believers that the COVID-19 vaccine is a 'vial of death,' a claim that was shared ...
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan told believers that the COVID-19 vaccine is a 'vial of death,' a claim that was shared on Twitter and Facebook despite their misinformation policies.
A video of Farrakhan saying the vaccine 'is death itself' was reportedly shared on Facebook and YouTube, where it remained until Saturday night, according to Fox News.
A link to the video still remains on Twitter despite Farrakhan comparing the vaccine to the Kool-Aid from the Jonestown Massacre of 1978 when more than 900 members of an American cult called the Peoples Temple died in a mass suicide-murder under the direction of their leader Jim Jones.
'This is the biggest dose of Kool-Aid that the enemy has ever offered... created by what you call warp speed. You know anything that's warped is misshaped. Anything that's warped is crooked.
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan (pictured) told believers that the COVID-19 vaccine is a 'vial of death,' a claim that was shared on Twitter and Facebook despite their misinformation policies
'By rushing so fast to get something out, bypassing normal steps in a true vaccine, now God is going to turn your vaccine into death in a hurry,' Farrakhan told his congregation.
He continued: 'Since you love to take the vaccine then eat death.'
During his speech, he also slammed the media and social media for trying to censor people who have 'another opposing view'.
Last week, Twitter said it is using human reviewers to determine whether tweets violate its policy against COVID vaccine misinformation.
'Through the use of the strike system, we hope to educate people on why certain content breaks our rules so they have the opportunity to further consider their behavior and their impact on the public conversation,' the social media giant said in a blog post on Monday.
On the first strike, an account doesn't see any level of action, but two and three strikes equal a 12-hour account lock.
Five or more strikes equals permanent suspension, according to the post.
Twitter users questioned why such claims from Farrakhan have been allowed to stay on the platform seeing as former president Donald Trump was banned.
The video of Farrakhan was reportedly shared on Facebook. This Facebook post is an image showing the flyer of the engagement on February 23
A link to the video still remains on Twitter despite Farrakhan comparing the vaccine to the Kool-Aid from the Jonestown Massacre of 1978 when more than 900 members of an American cult called the Peoples Temple died in a mass suicide-murder under the direction of Jim Jones
Several people called out Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey directly with one tweeting: 'Hey @jack @Twitter, love how you selectively enforce your own misinformation rules. You allow this vile human being to spread lies and misinformation but block and delete conservative views....bravo.'
Another wrote: 'The hypocrisy is amazing!! How unfairly @jack's team fails to follow their own rules is shocking!'
'So much for Twitter banning false vaccine info,' a third wrote.
Last month, Facebook said it will remove posts with erroneous claims about vaccines from across its platform.
It appears that Facebook has since taken action against Farrakhan's claims as DailyMail.com was not able to find the video on the platform Sunday morning.
All three vaccines - Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson - have been deemed safe by medical experts.
Twitter users questioned why such claims from Farrakhan have been allowed to stay on the platform seeing as former president Donald Trump was banned
The Pfizer vaccine was 92 per cent effective at preventing severe disease after two shots and 62 per cent after one.
Its estimated effectiveness for preventing death was 72 per cent two to three weeks after the first shot, a rate that may improve as immunity builds over time.
Despite what medical experts have previously said, history has fueled vaccine concerns in the black community with many pointing to the Tuskegee Experiment, a study to determine the effects of untreated syphilis, where black men in Alabama were recruited and unknowingly denied treatment for the disease, even when penicillin became available to treat it.
The study spanned 40 years and at least 28 men died, though experts believe the death toll was much higher.
A study by the Pew Research Center found that Black Americans are less inclined to take the COVID-19 vaccine compared to whites or Latinos.
Over 60 per cent of whites and Latinos say they definitely or probably would get vaccinated, while just over 40 per cent of black people said they planned to.
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