São Paulo

Following Twitter's lead, Facebook also decided, on Monday (30), to delete President Jair Bolsonaro's publication from its platforms because it creates "misinformation" that can "cause real harm to people," it said.

The post features a video of the tour that the president took in the Federal District on Sunday (29), attracting a large crowd. The tour contradicted the guidelines of his own Minister of Health, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, who recommended that people stay at home as a measure to confront the new coronavirus.

Instagram, which belongs to Facebook, also deleted the video. "We removed content on Facebook and Instagram that violates our Community Standards, which do not allow misinformation that could cause real harm to people," said the company in a note.

This Sunday, two posts made by Jair Bolsonaro were deleted from Twitter - Reprodução

This Sunday, two posts made by Jair Bolsonaro were deleted from Twitter. The company considered that the posts violated the rules of use by potentially putting people at greater risk of transmitting the new coronavirus.

It was the first time that the social network deleted posts from the president of Brazil. The company also deleted a post from Venezuela's dictator, Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro's publication promoted a homemade recipe for a drink that could be useful to cure the disease.

Amid the pandemic, Twitter, Facebook and other technology companies, such as Google and Microsoft, signed a joint statement in which they pledged to fight fraud and misinformation about the new coronavirus.

Since then, they have tightened their filters on publications on topics on their platforms.

In the video deleted by Facebook, Bolsonaro cites the use of chloroquine for the treatment of the disease and defends the end of social isolation.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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