Gates said that the spread of the “outrageous” video shows how social media companies struggle to contain damaging misinformation before it gains wide attention.
A video that made false claims about the coronavirus received tens of millions of views and amplification from President Donald Trump when it went viral on Monday — until Facebook and Twitter removed it from their platforms.
The video “spread so fast that even though, eventually, the social media people stopped it,” he says. “It was so famous that now people are still seeking it out.” Gates acknowledged that the rapid spread of the video made it difficult for social media platforms to contain but also said the incident illustrates a persistent shortcoming of the platforms.
Gates, who serves as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, made the remarks in an episode of Yahoo Finance’s “Influencers with Andy Serwer,” a weekly interview series with leaders in business, politics, and entertainment.
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