North Dakota health agency cuts comments on social media

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Department of Health on Tuesday switched off comments on its social media accounts, saying it was doing so to combat the spread of misinformation.

The agency said in a statement Monday that its social media accounts “will continue to be a source for sharing verified public health information to help North Dakotans make informed decisions.” The comment ban “will be applied to all posts, and not be specific to any particular topic,” the agency said.

U.S. health officials have said misinformation on social media platforms has caused some to resist getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. A similar approach to North Dakota's has been taken elsewhere, with the Mississippi State Department of Health announcing in July it was blocking comments on its Facebook posts that relate to COVID-19 because of misinformation.

North Dakota’s health department is a cabinet-level agency and its head serves at the discretion of the governor. Mike Nowatzki, Republican Gov. Doug Burgum’s spokesman, referred questions about the ban to the health department, which didn’t immediately return telephone calls Tuesday.

North Dakota has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S., with just over half of the population completing their required doses despite the widespread availability of shots.

The posts on the North Dakota health department’s Facebook page immediately following the announcement were mixed, with some people applauding the agency, while others complained it was a free speech infringement that discounted other viewpoints.