Amazon plans to take out products in its store that claim to kill the coronavirus

Amazon plans to take out listings like these that claim to kill or prevent the coronavirus

Amazon is getting rid of products that claim to cure or prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The online retailer has been getting in touch with third-party merchants who sell these products, informing them that these listings will be taken out. In one case, Amazon let a seller know it was taking out its listing for surgical face masks because it had "unapproved medical marketing claims" in the description.

It's a good move considering these products do nothing but give bad actors a way to profit from people's fears. The virus itself is becoming more widespread, affecting over 78,000 people worlding, including nine people in Canada.

Source: CNBC

Twitter works on preventing misinformation about coronavirus on its platform

With both news and misinformation abound about the contagious coronavirus, Twitter is hoping to direct its users' attention to more credible and official sources of information. The social network has partnered with Canada and other nations like Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the U.S. and Vietnam affected by the problem. Those who search for information in those countries will get a pinned message linking them back to the official health agency in those countries. So, for Canada, it links back to the Public Health Agency of Canada's information on the coronavirus. 

Twitter is also putting a stop to any auto-suggest results that might direct users to non-credible content. The company said in a blog post that it is working with the Global Public Policy team to find ways to integrate organizations working to contain the coronavirus. Twitter says it hasn't seen any significant coordinated attempts to spread disinformation at scale, but it is on the lookout for them. And it promises to remove users who engage in malicious practices on its platform. 

An online map tracks the Coronavirus outbreak in real-time

As the Coronavirus continues to spread in some parts of the world, researchers from John Hopkins University hope to make it easier to track the SARS-like virus. The map, which is accessible on the desktop or mobile, shows total confirmed cases, recoveries, and deaths. The researchers are using information gathered from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and other global sources to keep the map updated. The Coronavirus originated in China, and it has made its way here in Toronto. Ontario's top medical officers confirmed one patient, while the second case, involving the man's wife, is considered "presumptive positive."

Source: MobileSyrup