Moderation only somewhat successful

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That policy, first put in place in May 2020, labeled tweets about the COVID-19 pandemic deemed to be incomplete, misleading or disputed.

By Tuesday, some Twitter accounts were testing the new boundaries and celebrating the platform's hands-off approach, which comes after Twitter was purchased by Elon Musk.

"This policy was used to silence people across the world who questioned the media narrative surrounding the virus and treatment options," tweeted Dr. Simone Gold, a physician and leading purveyor of COVID-19 misinformation. "A win for free speech and medical freedom!"

Twitter's decision disappointed many public health officials, however, who said it could lead to more false claims about the virus, or the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

"Bad news," tweeted epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding, who urged telegram database people not to flee Twitter but to stay and stand up for accurate information about the virus. "Stay folks — do NOT cede the town square to them!"


Twitter was one of several social platforms to try to control the online conversation in early 2020, after the emergence of a new and deadly virus led to hysteria and speculation, and as the scientific understanding of the illness evolved.

Twitter has struggled with enforcement of the policy, as other platforms have. Even when it was in place, posts making bogus claims about home remedies or vaccines could still be found, while factually accurate posts were suppressed if they were perceived as critical of vaccination or masking. It was difficult on Tuesday to identify exactly how the platform's rules may have changed.

Messages left with San Francisco-based Twitter seeking more information about its policy on COVID-19 misinformation were not immediately returned Tuesday.