Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

10/31/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/31/2024 12:32

REPORT: New Details from OAG Investigation into Meta’s Failure to Combat Misinformation Online

REPORT: New Details from OAG Investigation into Meta's Failure to Combat Misinformation Online

October 31, 2024

The report includes details from nearly 20 previously un-released internal Meta studies.


Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today released the findings from the Office of the Attorney General's (OAG) investigation into whether Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) was sufficiently transparent with consumers about its efforts to combat misinformation on its platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report includes details from nearly 20 previously un-released internal Meta studies revealing how Meta not only failed to effectively combat the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines but did not disclose vital information about the scope or effectiveness of its anti-misinformation policies or the accuracy of the content available on its platforms.

Specifically, OAG found that Meta:

  • Failed to correct known confusion about which types of vaccine misinformation would be removed from the platform: Meta's misinformation policies focused on removing content that was verifiably false and could pose imminent harm. But Meta knew that consumers had a broader understanding of what types of content should be considered vaccine misinformation under Meta's policies, to include not only false, but also misleading content. Even knowing this confusion, Meta failed to clarify its policies to correct consumers' misunderstanding.
  • Failed to warn consumers that its policies would not prevent them from encountering vaccine misinformation on Meta's platforms: Meta was aware that, notwithstanding its policies, false and misleading vaccine misinformation was prevalent in content posted by accounts and in Facebook Groups.
  • Downplayed the harms of interacting with false and misleading COVID-19 vaccine information: Meta was aware that consumers could be harmed by interacting with false and misleading COVID-19 content. Meta's own studies found that these harms included an increased likelihood of rejecting the COVID-19 vaccines and an increased mistrust in public health organizations. Despite this knowledge, Meta did not inform consumers of these harms and even downplayed them.

The report concludes with tips for consumers on how to engage with social media, including:

  • Stop the spread of misinformation. If you think a post might contain misinformation, check other trusted sources before sharing the post.
  • Do not base medical or other health-related decisions on information you see on social media. You should instead check with a licensed medical professional or public health authority.
  • Be cautious when reviewing user comments made on posts by public health authorities. They may be intended to discourage you from following trusted health advice.
  • Report suspected misinformation to social media companies.
  • Limit the time you spend on social media platforms.

The full report is available here.

New Legal Precedent Regarding Access to Public Social Media Content to Protect the Public

Both the District of Columbia Superior Court and Court of Appeals rejected Meta's claims that the federal Stored Communications Act (SCA) prevented the company from complying with OAG's subpoena requests for information regarding Meta's enforcement against public posts containing false or misleading COVID-19 vaccine content. Previously, no U.S. court had ruled on whether social media companies could use the SCA to avoid government subpoenas relating to public posts on their platforms. This unprecedented ruling will restrict companies from using the SCA to prevent enforcement agencies from gathering information in future investigations and enforcement actions involving public social media content, including in the event that platforms make misrepresentations regarding enforcement of content moderation policies.

Resources for District Residents

To report unfair business practices, scams, or fraud, you can contact OAG by: 

  • Submitting a consumer complaint online at: https://oag.dc.gov/consumer-protection/submit-consumer-complaint.   
  • Calling the OAG Consumer Hotline at (202) 442-9828; or   
  • Emailing [email protected]. 

Visit OAG's website to learn more about the office's work to protect DC consumers.