The Trump administration implored the companies to use their technical expertise to help those dealing directly with the fallout of coronavirus.
The White House urged tech companies Wednesday to fight coronavirus disinformation and other harmful content on their platforms, while also using their technical know-how to assist the government with its own response to the expanding outbreak.
The Trump administration is enlisting the help of companies including Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, IBM and Twitter as the federal government struggles to contain the virus, which has reached more than 1,000 confirmed cases across the U.S. and has forced the cancellations of airline flights, college classes, concerts and campaign rallies.
“Cutting edge technology companies and major online platforms will play a critical role in this all-hands-on-deck effort,” U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios, who convened he conference call, said in a statement afterward. “Today’s meeting outlined an initial path forward and we intend to continue this important conversation.”