Facebook Steps Up COVID Effort, Gives $120 Million In Ad Credits To Health Orgs

Facebook today unveiled new actions it’s taking to fight the spread of misinformation about COVID-19, including vaccines to prevent it. The effort includes an expansion of the types of false claims that will be removed from Facebook and Instagram including a) that COVID-19 is man-made; b) that vaccines are not effective at preventing it; c) that it’s safer to get the disease than to get vaccinated; and d) that vaccines are dangerous or cause autism.

While those claims already are prohibited in ads running on Facebook, the company said it is expanding its enforcement to include “pages, groups or accounts that violate these rules.”

As part of the effort, Facebook said it was also improving ways users can discover and be made aware of accurate information, including improving its search results related to COVID-19 content and providing $120 million in advertising credits to health ministries, NGOs and U.N. agencies to promote COVID-19 vaccine and preventive health information.

“We’re providing training and marketing support to help governments and health organizations move quickly and reach the right people with the latest vaccine information,” the company added in today’s statement.

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