Censorship reversal: Facebook will no longer spike posts claiming COVID-19 is man-made

Facebook will no longer eliminate posts that allege coronavirus is man-made or manufactured.

"In light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts, we will no longer remove the claim that COVID-19 is man-made or manufactured from our apps," the company said on Wednesday. "We're continuing to work with health experts to keep pace with the evolving nature of the pandemic and regularly update our policies as new facts and trends emerge."

The move represents an about-face for the social media giant which announced in February that it would start removing posts that made such claims. 

"Today, following consultations with leading health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), we are expanding the list of false claims we will remove to include additional debunked claims about the coronavirus and vaccines," the company said in February, listing "COVID-19 is man-made or manufactured" among the claims that would be banned.