Twitter removes ‘misleading’ tweet from top Trump Covid adviser Dr Scott Atlas that said masks don’t work
- The tweet in question was shared by Dr Scott Atlas and reads: ‘Masks work? No’
- Atlas also shared places where he says ‘cases exploded even with mandates’
- Twitter subsequently removed the tweet, saying it violated the platform’s Covid-19 Misleading Information Policy
Twitter has removed a ‘misleading’ tweet from White House adviser Dr Scott Atlas who claimed that masks don’t work.
In the tweet shared on Saturday, Atlas wrote: ‘Masks work? No.’
Atlas, who has been on the coronavirus task force since the pandemic began in the US, then used examples of areas where he said ‘cases exploded even with mandates’.
Atlas included the following locations in the tweet: Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii, Alabama, France, Philippines, United Kingdom, Spain and Israel.
Masks and facial coverings are used to prevent people who have the virus from infecting others.
Twitter has removed a ‘misleading’ tweet from White House adviser Dr Scott Atlas (pictured) who claimed that masks don’t work
In the tweet shared on Saturday, Atlas wrote: ‘Masks work? No’
Twitter subsequently removed the tweet, but Atlas followed up with a response to the censorship
Twitter subsequently removed the tweet, but Atlas followed up with a response to the censorship.
‘That means the right policy is @realDonaldTrump guideline: use masks for their intended purpose – when close to others, especially hi risk. Otherwise, social distance. No widespread mandates. #CommonSense,’ Atlas wrote.
A Twitter spokesperson told CNN that the tweet was removed because it violated the company’s Covid-19 Misleading Information Policy.
Twitter said that Atlas violated the policy that prohibits users from sharing false or misleading content related to the pandemic that could lead to harm.
In an email to The Federalist, Atlas explained his reasoning behind his tweet, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
Atlas noted a document from the WHO that reads: ‘The widespread use of masks by healthy people in the community setting is not yet supported by high quality or direct scientific evidence and there are potential benefits and harms to consider.’
His remarks come just a month after NBC News reportedly overheard CDC Director Robert Redfield suggesting in a conversation with a colleague that Atlas is arming Trump with misleading data about masks and other issues.
‘Everything he says is false,’ Redfield said during a phone call made in public on a commercial airline, according to NBC.
Atlas, a neuroradiologist, is not an expert on infectious diseases.