Facebook giving massive distribution to dangerous misinformation about diabetes

[Dennis Donovan]

https://popular.info/p/facebook-giving-massive-distribution

Facebook is giving a page featuring incendiary right-wing memes and dangerous misinformation about diabetes massive distribution — reach that exceeds some of the nation's largest news outlets.

The Rowdy Republican page, which has over 780,000 followers, is run by an affiliate marketer with a history of legal problems and deceptive practices. He is seeking to drive people to a site about "The Big Diabetes Lie," which tries to convince people to purchase a $55 paperback book. According to the website, if you have diabetes and don't purchase this book, you will soon die:

If you are OK with slowly losing your vision and then going blind as diabetes destroys the blood vessels in your eyes causing them to wither and die, if you're perfectly fine with dying 9 years earlier, possibly not waking up tomorrow, dropping dead at any moment or having your legs amputated. If you are OK with not seeing your kids or grandkids grow up, then please, close this page and go back to what you were doing.

One of the leading medical experts in treating diabetes, Dr. David Goldstein, an endocrinologist affiliated with the University of Missouri, reviewed the website and told Popular Information that the information was "ridiculous" and contained "dangerous misinformation."

The Daily Caller, a member of Facebook's official fact-checking program, reviewed a post by Rowdy Republican that included a link to "The Big Diabetes Lie" and rated it "true."

The runaway success of the Rowdy Republican page is a sign that Facebook's efforts to reduce the spread of misinformation is failing. As a result, its users are being put in danger.

According to a source that has contacted Facebook representatives, the company has ignored reports about misinformation from the Rowdy Republican page since at least November 2018. Facebook also did not respond to a request for comment by Popular Information.

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We could spend more time knocking down misinformation than posting facts - that's the danger of social media. This one hits close to home, as I've lost 3 siblings in the last 9 years to complications from diabetes.

[Wounded Bear]

1. I have type 2 diabetes. I ignore shit like that all the time...

It's sad how people can make so much money from dangerous scams like that.

It's a new age of snake oil salesmen.

[RAB910]

2. Isn't this just natural selection?

[Dennis Donovan]

3. WTF??

[RAB910]

4. I have to confess I grow weary of protecting myself and the nation from Republican ignorance

I am struggling to muster shits to give in terms of protecting themselves from their own ignorance

[Dennis Donovan]

6. My family members were Dems

...and my dog also suffers from diabetes.

You need to self delete...

[RAB910]

7. Isn't this misinformation on a Republican FB page?

[Dennis Donovan]

8. Your comment can be construed as "diabetes sufferers deserve their fate"

Seriously, self delete!

[RAB910]

10. My grandfather died of complications of diabetes as did my aunt

I find your outrage to be insulting and highly misplaced

[Dennis Donovan]

11. No, not misplaced at all

...and I'M deeply insulted by your stunning lack of empathy. I've lost my mother and siblings and my beloved pup also suffers from it. Your post is insensitive!

[JCMach1]

5. Anti-vaxxers as well

[Johnny2X2X]

9. The Rightwing is assaulting consumers from all directions

Anti Vaxers, Anti science. This stuff is almost always been pushed by the Far Right.

Mike Huckaby is selling mushrooms extract that he says cures cancer.. These grifters are disgusting.

[Codeine]

12. Anti-science bullshit knows no ideology

and has no party affiliation. It’s as rampant on the Left as the Right, and even pops up here with alarming frequency.

[Johnny2X2X]

13. I fight it when I see it here

But this garbage is 90% coming from the Right.