Facebook launches “global campaign” to combat false alarms of COVID-19 vaccine

Facebook announced on Monday that it will launch the “world’s largest campaign” to combat false information surrounding the coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccine.

The social media giant also said it aims to provide useful information to more than 2 billion users about the latest information on vaccine eligibility, safety, and related health conditions.

Facebook said it aims to help people better understand the guidelines for vaccine deployment as Americans become more motivated to vaccinate.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4 million vaccinations were reported over the weekend, significantly faster than the day before.

Currently, one in ten Americans has received at least one shot. However, only 2.9% of the US population receives a second dose, far from more than 70%, which experts say must be achieved to reach herd immunity.

Facebook said it would quadruple its initiative to provide vaccine information and dispel myths. First, the company helps users find vaccination locations, “just as it helped people find information about how to vote during elections.”

File-The figure in this photo shows the Facebook logo displayed on your smartphone. (Mateusz Slodkowski / SOAP Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)

Relation: The United States is in a hurry to catch up with the competition to detect the mutant COVID-19 mutant

according to Company news release, Starting this week, Facebook will post a link in it COVID-19 Information Center From accredited local, federal, and global health websites, “helps you understand if and how people are eligible for vaccination.”

The United States is currently in Phase 1 of vaccine development, including groups 1a, 1b, and 1c. The Phase 1a group consists of long-term care facility residents, skilled nurses, and healthcare professionals. Phase 1b includes people over the age of 65-75 and front-line key workers. Phase 1c includes people aged 16-64 years with high-risk medical conditions. According to the CDC.

Second, Facebook plans to provide $ 120 million worth of free advertising space on the platform to “Ministry of Health, NGOs and UN agencies” to disseminate COVID-19 vaccine and preventive health information. doing.

Facebook will also provide “training and marketing support for governments and health organizations to act swiftly and bring the latest vaccine information to the right people.”

Relation: Facebook removes false allegations about COVID-19 vaccine

The company said in a news release that it plans to synthesize the COVID-19 Information Center on Instagram to give users access to relevant and validated information on multiple platforms.

Facebook also emphasized real-time data, stating that countries are “using tools to support COVID-19 response in their communities.”

“We have partnered with the Indonesian government to create a WhatsApp helpline to share information about vaccine availability first with healthcare professionals and finally with the general public. In just five days. Accessed by 500,000 healthcare workers out of 1.3 million in the country. Other governments and health authorities, including the Indonesian government and WHO, have begun to create similar helplines to provide up-to-date vaccine information. “There is,” the news release said.

To address resource shortages and help people living in the Social Vulnerability Index, Facebook has partnered with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and AARP to reach out to Native American, Black, Latin and more communities. I am planning to reach. Science and evidence-based content that addresses the questions and concerns of these communities. “

Similarly, Google has pledged $ 150 million to promote coronavirus vaccine education and will open up Google Space, which acts as a vaccination site.

Third, Facebook and Instagram have expanded their efforts to get rid of false health information, following a meeting with the World Health Organization on Monday to “build effective vaccine delivery and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine.” We plan to share “educational efforts for”.

Relation: Removed false claims about coronavirus vaccine on Twitter and added labels to misleading tweets

Facebook will continue to remove false information such as “The COVID-19 vaccine does not exist or has not been approved, or claims that anything other than the COVID-19 vaccine can be vaccinated against COVID-19.” ..

The company posted A complete list of false claims What you are targeting on the Help Center page.

Finally, the company plans to work with Carnegie Mellon University’s Delphi Research Group and the University of Maryland to understand “the symptoms people are experiencing, mask-wearing behavior, and access to care,” a news release said. Says.

Facebook collects information through research conducted by research groups at both universities throughout the vaccine deployment and through an ongoing pandemic.

“This research program, which has received more than 50 million responses so far, is one of the largest programs ever implemented, allowing health researchers to better monitor and better monitor the COVID-19 epidemic. It helped to predict. It is also the only source of global data on wearing masks, and according to a news release, public health authorities around the world in their efforts to address COVID-19. “

The CDC and several medical journals have published studies demonstrating that wearing a mask is effective in delaying the spread of COVID-19. Understanding national mask-wearing behavior and social distance behavior, and their relationship to hotspots, can be very helpful in contact tracing the original coronavirus and mutant variants.

This data also helps authorities adapt health guidelines based on current outbreaks.

Relation: The CDC predicts that COVID-19 deaths in the United States could reach 534,000 by the end of the month

“Data has proven to be important in signaling the fight against COVID-19. In 2020, a new dataset to support researchers, nonprofits and governments in responding to COVID-19. , Maps, and tools launched. We will continue to provide useful information in 2021. Data to understand the attitude of vaccines, build confidence in vaccines through reliable information, and support vaccination efforts. “Insight,” said a Facebook news release.

Facebook’s campaign announced in December that Twitter would extend its existing rules to counter misleading tweets about the COVID-19 vaccine, prioritizing “removal of the most harmful and misleading information” about the vaccine. Will be done later.

The Associated Press and FOX Business contributed to this report.