In a uncommon pre-emptive move to crack down on misinformation before it goes viral , Meta , the tech giant star formerly bonk asFacebook , is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent and the World Health Organization to take down harmful content related to the coronavirus vaccine and its effects on children . The announcementcoincidedwith the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ’s authorisation of the first covid-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 .
In the coming weeks , Facebook users will start seeing in - feed admonisher that the vaccine has been approved for kids along with information about where it ’s available . Meta ’s roam out both English and Spanish versions of the reminders .
It ’s also inflate its anti - vaccine misinformation policies to polish off fake claims specifically relating to the vaccine and children . This includes misinformation about the vaccine ’s availability , efficacy , and vetting in the scientific community , such as claims that the covid-19 vaccinum can kill or gravely harm kid . Posts claiming that any discourse other than a covid-19 vaccine can innoculate child against the computer virus will also be removed .
Photo: Olivier Douliery (Getty Images)
“ This is not a single update , but part of an ongoing effort in partnership with wellness agency like the CDC and WHO and others , both in the U.S. and globally , ” Meta ’s head of wellness , Kang - Xing Jin , compose ina web log postannouncing the partnership Friday . “ We will continue to clarify our policy and tot new claim about the COVID-19 vaccine for baby that we remove from our apps . ”
The FDA ’s authorisation covers the Pfizer / BioNTech mRNA vaccine , which is estimated to be 90.7 % in effect at preventing covid-19 in children ages 5 to 11 . The child version of the vaccine , which comes in a small dose than the variation available to adults , will be offered as a two - dose shot given over a three - calendar week period . In trials , no serious untoward events connect to the vaccine were account .
Over the years , Meta has frequently derive under fervor for failing to curb the speedy banquet of misinformation on its platform , a problem that come up into stark succour with the covid-19 pandemic . Right - wing conspiracy theorists , anti - vaxxers , and pseudoscience zealots had always hada footholdon Facebook , and it was n’t long before they began flooding feeds withbullshitabout covid-19 and the efficacy of wearing masks , later addingpropagandaabout the coronavirus vaccine to the lean .
Amid mount pressure from critics , Facebook has implemented several sweeping unexampled policy to take down or limit the reach of harmful message . But many argue its reception has been too little , too late . President Joe Biden accused the company of“killing people”by letting false vaccine title go unchecked on its chopine . And Facebook still is n’t finishedperforming damage ascendance : The hashtag # VaccinesKill , which would seem like an obvious competitor for Facebook ’s ban hammer , remained functional as of late asJulybefore Facebook last choke up it .
Since the head start of the pandemic , Meta has aim down a sum of 20 million piece of content and 3,000 account , pages , and group from Facebook and Instagram touch on to covid-19 and vaccine misinformation , the company enounce Friday .
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