Facebook took down Instagram accounts Friday that had been promoting “coronavirus parties” supposedly happening at the Chinese consulates in Chicago, Illinois, and Houston, Texas.
Both accounts were among several removed from the Facebook-owned social media service that had recently promoted similar events purportedly taking place in the U.S. and abroad.
The Washington Times asked Facebook about the accounts upon finding them Friday morning, and they were removed from Instagram several hours later.
“We have removed these accounts for violating our policies,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Times.
Each of the accounts had a user name referencing COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and posted similar content about supposed “COVID parties” taking place.
The Chicago account, “chicago_covid_parties,” became active on July 25 and had posted a total 5 times before vanishing Friday.
“Our mission to provide partying to college students during a pandemic when colleges shut down frats or threaten to suspend students over partying,” the account posted last month. “We will be hosting parties at different locations. We will have different legal loopholes to throw those parties. For example, our first party has already been approved to happen at the Consulate General of The People’s Republic of China in Chicago.”
The Houston account, “Houston.covid.parties,” had become active two days earlier and also posted only five times before being taken down.
“Welcome back, University of Houston,” read part of that account’s description.
“We want to have f–g fun during a pandemic. COVID IS A HOAX. LETS PARTY!”
A subsequent post made by the Houston account thanked “Consult General Cai Wei for accepting our request to be allowed to use the Consulate General of China in House to party.”
“This will allow us to use international law to host a party that cannot be shut down by police for any reason,” the account explained. “Police cannot enter for any reason without explicit permission of the consulate. The party will be hosted the first Saturday of the semester. You will be able to RSVP shortly.”
Another deleted account, “detroit_coronavirus_parties,” similarly promoted events purportedly happening in Novi, Michigan, as well as across the border in nearby Windsor, Ontario.
Posting earlier this month, the Detroit account advertised the supposed the Canadian party as having free alcohol and food, but adding that no cameras or reporters were allowed.
Yet another account, “uarizonacovidparties,” only posted once about planning to host a “COVID party” at the University of Arizona prior to being shuttered Friday.
Another touting plans to party around Arizona State University, or ASU, was comparably more active, however, and has posted 23 times before being taken down from Instagram.
Facebook was sued Thursday evening in federal court over the ASU account, “asu_covid.parties,” and asked to take it down for allegedly infringing on the school’s trademarks. That led to The Times finding the other accounts.
Prior to being removed, the ASU account had repeatedly shared medical misinformation about COVID-19 and called it a “hoax” in posts containing the school’s logo and colors.
ASU’s lawyers also said a preliminary investigation indicated the account might be based in Russia and potentially used “to sow confusion and conflict,” but they did not elaborate further.
“We have removed the account in question for violating our policies,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Times on Friday. “We disagree that the account infringes any trademark rights ASU might have.”
In all, Facebook said it removed seven Instagram accounts advertising similar parties, including two others seemingly geared toward college students in New Zealand and Australia.
Facebook declined to confirm if the accounts were related or what specific policies they violated. Its rules prohibit content including potentially dangerous misinformation about the coronavirus.
The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. did not immediately return a request for comment.
More than 22 million people worldwide have contracted COVID-19 since the first cases were discovered late last year in Wuhan, China, according to Johns Hopkins University.
COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person and is highly contagious, making social gatherings such as parties particularly risky.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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