Twitter locked the account of the National File, a national populist news website, for reporting on a tweet from Tami Burages, a woman who says her 13-year old nephew died three days after receiving a second dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine. Twitter later said the account had been locked in error and reinstated it.
According to a Twitter spokesman, the platform took enforcement action on the National File’s account in error. That action has been reversed and the account has been reinstated.
The National File’s report was about Twitter user Tami Burages, who said her teenage nephew had died shortly after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
“Our family is devastated,” said Burages “I struggled with putting this out on twitter. I am pro-vaccine. We vaccinated my own 14-year-old son as soon as it was available. I know it is *mostly safe*. But Jacob is dead now.”
Our family is devastated.
I struggled with putting this out on twitter. I am pro-vaccine. We vaccinated my own 14-year-old son as soon as it was available.
I know it is *mostly safe*.
But Jacob is dead now.
— Tami Burages (@tburages) June 20, 2021
“I do believe that the vaccine is saving millions of lives,” continued Burages subsequent tweets. “But should any innocent child be a sacrificial lamb in this endeavor? There are moral, ethical and health questions that need to be answered. If Jacob had not received the 2nd shot, we believe he would be alive today.”
I do believe that the vaccine is saving millions of lives. But should any innocent child be a sacrificial lamb in this endeavor? There are moral, ethical and health questions that need to be answered.
If Jacob had not received the 2nd shot, we believe he would be alive today.
— Tami Burages (@tburages) June 20, 2021
Saying parents should be “warned of the risk,” Burages called on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to investigate.
Tom Pappert, editor-in-chief of the National File, condemned Twitter for censoring his website’s reporting.
“Twitter’s censorship here is as repugnant as it is ridiculous,” said Pappert. “National File does not publish medical misinformation. We published a report containing direct quotes from a woman who – using Twitter – expressed concern about the death of her 13-year-old nephew, Jacob Clynick, which occurred after he received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.”
“It appears Twitter is attempting to censor news outlets for the crime of reporting on the concerns of a recently bereaved family member,” Pappert said.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Ms. Burages and her family during this difficult time. It is very unfortunate that Twitter would attempt to prevent this family from sharing its truth and its concerns about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine only days after Jacob’s untimely and heartbreaking death.”
Story cited here.
