Facebook to remove false COVID-19 vaccines’ claims on its platforms

Team Udayavani, Dec 4, 2020, 4:58 PM IST

Facebook will be removing false claims about COVID-19 that have been debunked by public health experts from Facebook and Instagram.

It said it would remove claims like “COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips” or anything else that isn’t on the official vaccine ingredient list.

Facebook added that it will regularly update the claims it removes based on guidance from public health authorities.

Posts containing false claims about the safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects of vaccines will be moderated under this category. False claims will be classified as ‘misinformation’ about the coronavirus because such posts could lead to imminent physical harm.

Under the misinformation policy, if a claim is being made about an ingredient that has not been used in the vaccine, it too will be qualified as misinformation.