Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Twitter to Meet with White House on Wuhan Coronavirus

Representatives from major tech giants are set to attend a White House meeting Wednesday to discuss their response to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

Business Insider reports that representatives from Silicon Valley tech giants including Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Twitter, will attend a meeting at the White House Wednesday to discuss the companies’ response to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

A representative from the Office of Science and Technology Policy told Politico that representatives from the tech firms would be attending in person or via video conference and that the meeting would be led by President Trump’s Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios. The full details of the discussion have not yet been revealed.

Misinformation surrounding the virus has fast become an issue online, in one instance the French government has stepped in to counter a fake claim circulating online that cocaine cured the virus. Other fake cures include marijuana, coconut oil, and bleach. Amazon announced that it is working with state attorneys general to fight a surge in the price gouging on its platform relating to products such as face masks and hand sanitizer.

Amazon instructed its employees in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle area to work from home last week, multiple other Silicon Valley tech firms took similar measures including Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Amazon’s decision came shortly after one of its workers in its Seattle offices tested positive for the coronavirus. Amazon has also stated that it won’t penalize warehouse workers for taking unpaid time off during the month of March.

Apple is facing a different effect of the virus, with the outbreaks overseas causing huge issues with its supply chain. Recent statistics from the Chinese government show that Apple sold just 500,000 iPhones in China last month, less than half of its usual figure.