-
Facebook will start removing posts with false vaccine claims as experts worry misinformation might discourage Americans from getting immunized (FB)
Summary List PlacementFacebook will remove posts sharing false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, the company announced on Thursday. The company will remove claims debunked by public health experts — including ones claiming COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips or that some people will get doses without their consent — from both Facebook and Instagram. Kang-Xing Jin, head of Facebook Health, said the company will not be able to start enforcing these policies "overnight," and will continue to update claims removed based on public health guidance. "This is another way that we are applying our policy to remove misinformation about the virus that could lead to imminent physical harm," Jin said in a blog post. As American hospitalizations, cases, and deaths related to the coronavirus reached record levels in November, health officials are aiming to get vulnerable populations vaccinated starting this month. Read more: How Mark Zuckerberg's competitiveness and attempts to keep Facebook politically neutral turned it into a haven for misinformation and conspiracy theories that can swing elections Two leading vaccines — developed by pharmaceutical company Pfizer and biotech firm Moderna — await emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration. Conspiracy theories about the coronavirus, which is caused by COVID-19, have spread on Facebook and other social media platforms all year. Facebook announced earlier this year it would remove fake claims about COVID-19, but reports have indicated that virus misinformation had already reached thousands of people. Facebook has been slow to act on false information about vaccines for years as the "anti-vaxx" movement gained momentum in recent years. The American Medical Association said in 2019 that fake claims about vaccines on Facebook and other tech platforms may have had a role in disease outbreaks. The US last year reported more than 1,000 cases of measles, a vaccine-preventable disease that had been largely wiped out. Health experts have warned misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines could discourage Americans from getting immunized. Anthony Fauci said at least 75% of the country would need to get vaccinated in order to get "close to some degree of normality." "Refusal to be vaccinated can lead to gaps in herd immunity, and have a range of consequences," a spokesperson for the World Health Organization previously told Business Insider. "These consequences can go far beyond the health of individuals and communities and have a broader impact on society and economies as well." SEE ALSO: The US will give Americans paper cards to remind them of their second COVID-19 vaccine dose, but will leave further messaging to states and pharmacies Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly
More like this (3)
-
Facebook bans misinformation about all vaccines after years of controversy
Company will remove posts with false claims and groups with repeated violations will be shut downFacebook...
-
Facebook says it plans to remove posts with false vaccine claims.
The move, which applies to anti-vaccine posts unrelated to Covid as well, targets unpaid posts to...
-
Misinformation 'superspreaders': Covid vaccine falsehoods still thriving on Facebook and Instagram
Researchers say big Facebook accounts still condemn vaccines while anti-vaxxers banned from Facebook have fled to...
