Coronavirus: Facebook bans protest events against social distancing unless they abide by guidelines

Many groups remain active on the social network despite partial crackdown

(AFP/Getty)

Facebook has said it will allow groups on its platform to organise protests against social distancing, so long as the protesters plan to abide by social distancing rules.

Protests have sprung up across the US in recent days in defiance of lockdown measures aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus. Many of the demonstrations have been organised through Facebook groups, some of which have in excess of 70,000 members.

The groups experienced a surge in popularity since last week after President Donald Trump's call to "LIBERATE" three states by ending strict confinement rules.

“Save your great 2nd Amendment,” he tweeted. "It is under siege."

Social distancing guidelines in the US state that people should remain at least six feet (1.8m) apart from one another. Despite this, hundreds of people ignored such precautions by converging on Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Monday to protest a statewide stay-at-home order.

Facebook shut down other groups planning protests in California, Nebraska and New Jersey, however dozens of similar groups remain active.

The move outraged conservative figures like Donald Trump Junior, who claimed it went against the First Amendment put in place to protect freedom of speech and the right to protest.

"Why is Facebook colluding with state governments to quash people's free speech," Trump Jr. tweeted. "Regardless of what you think about the lockdowns or protests against them, this is a chilling and disturbing government directed shutdown of people's 1st Amendment rights. Very dangerous!"

A Facebook spokesperson told The Independent on Monday that it would abide by government rules, stating: "Events that defy government's guidance on social distancing aren't allowed on Facebook."

A request for comment on which state governments it had been in conversation with was not immediately answered.

Last week, the tech giant said it would target users who spread misinformation and engage with conspiracy theories relating to the coronavirus pandemic on its social network.

Anyone posting false or dangerous content will be directed to official information from the World Health Organisation that debunks unfounded claims, it said.

When asked on Monday about how he felt about Facebook being used to organise protests to defy state-enforced restrictions, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it was being "classified as harmful misinformation" and that such groups were being taken down.

"At the same time, it's important that people can debate policies, so there's a line on this," he told Good Morning America. "More than normal political discourse, I think a lot of the stuff that people is saying around a health emergency like this can be classified as harmful misinformation."