Thread by @Shayan86

NEW: This week's Disinformation Watch newsletter covers stories about #GeorgeFloyd protests and #coronavirus. It brings together the work of our anti-disinformation team in @BBCMonitoring, @BBCtrending and @BBCRealityCheck.
Read the online version here: trib.al/ht4UCTC

First up is a roundup of some of the most widely shared misleading posts, images and videos in relation to #GeorgeFloyd protests in the US. A fake White House image, an old video reshared without context and rumours that the protests were staged
bbc.co.uk/news/52934672

What's up with all the bricks near protests sites? This piece covers the mystery of viral videos of piles of bricks in different US cities plus conspiracy theories about @georgesoros "funding" the protests and claims of Russian interference
bbc.co.uk/news/52877751

@Facebook removed a number of Justice for George Floyd groups after @BBCNews highlighted some, run by accounts seemingly based in Vietnam and Bangladesh, had posted misleading images, while others had previously focused on coronavirus and 5G conspiracies
bbc.co.uk/news/technolog…

Twitter suspended hundreds of accounts for spreading claims about a Washington DC “blackout”. Thousands of tweets with #DCBlackout claimed communications had been blocked in the city to cripple protests, despite there being no evidence of a blackout
bbc.co.uk/news/technolog…

The BBC's anti-disinformation has found links between coronavirus misinformation and assaults, arsons and deaths. Experts say the potential for indirect harm caused by rumours, conspiracy theories and bad health advice could be much bigger
bbc.co.uk/news/stories-5…

As coronavirus cases spread through African countries, misleading information continues to be shared on social media and online. Here are some of the stories that have been widely shared recently
bbc.co.uk/news/world-afr…

Hundreds of fake or hijacked accounts have been pushing pro-Chinese government messages about coronavirus on @Facebook, @Twitter and @YouTube, a BBC investigation has found. The majority of the accounts, pages and channels have now been removed
bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-tre…

Some accuse @BillGates of leading a class of global elites. Others believe he is leading efforts to depopulate the world. Still more accuse him of making vaccines mandatory, or even attempting to implant microchips into people
bbc.co.uk/news/technolog…

Some 649 posts featuring misleading health advice and conspiracy theories about 5G were reported to Facebook and Twitter, but 90% remained visible afterwards without any warnings attached, according to a report from @CCDHate
bbc.co.uk/news/technolog…

Speculation about a future coronavirus vaccine is ramping up and social media posts from anti-vaccination campaigners are gaining more traction online. The BBC's anti-disinformation team debunks a few recent claims
bbc.co.uk/news/52847648

@Twitter accused @realDonaldTrump of making false claims. It refers to a tweet about Mr Trump’s first defence secretary and follows another confrontation which saw Twitter fact-check two of the president’s tweets and label another as glorifying violence
bbc.co.uk/news/technolog…

This newsletter features reporting from the BBC's @JackAGoodman @FloraCarmichael @mariannaspring @O_Rob1nson @alistaircoleman @BenDoBrown @EtutuJoice @MwaiPetrov @janewakefield @ruskin147 @davemolloy @shrutimenon10 @bluu2k @Wanyuan_Song @lauragzzi

You can subscribe to our newsletter by sending a DM to @alistaircoleman, @O_Rob1nson, @BBCMonitoring or me. Our DMs are open. The next edition of our Disinformation Watch newsletter will be published on 23 June.