Facebook will label all posts about Covid vaccines with WHO facts to avoid misinformation

Facebook will label all posts about Covid vaccines with WHO facts to avoid misinformation (Photo: Shutterstock)Facebook will label all posts about Covid vaccines with WHO facts to avoid misinformation (Photo: Shutterstock)
Facebook will label all posts about Covid vaccines with WHO facts to avoid misinformation (Photo: Shutterstock)

Facebook will add labels to all posts published on the platform about Covid-19 vaccines, detailing additional information from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The move aims to combat misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, amid concerns falsehoods may be deterring people from receiving the jabs.

Covid-19 Information Centre

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As well as information labels, the company is launching a Covid-19 Information Centre on Instagram, which was previously exclusively available on the Facebook app.

The centre will provide UK users with information about vaccine eligibility and facts about the rollout in their local area.

In an announcement on Monday (15 Mar), Facebook said it was working closely with the NHS and global health service authorities “to deliver important public health messages quickly, helping people access credible information and get vaccinated.”

"In the coming weeks, we're rolling out labels on all posts generally about Covid-19 vaccines that point people to the Covid-19 Information Centre, and plan to add additional targeted labels about Covid-19 vaccine subtopics," Facebook said.

How to avoid vaccine misinformation

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The Information Centre arrives shortly after the company launched a new campaign aimed at tackling the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus vaccine.

The campaign - run alongside independent fact checking organisation, Full Fact - involves a series of online adverts, encouraging users of social media to detect stories about Covid-19 and other topics by using a three step checklist:

  1. Check the source - Scrutinise content, even if it appears science based
  2. Check how it makes you feel - False news can manipulate feelings for clicks
  3. Check the context - Look to public health authorities to confirm content

The campaign was launched after UK Vaccine Minister Naghim Zahawi told Sky News the Government was battling a “tsunami of disinformation” around the vaccine jabs.

At the time of writing, the UK has administered more than 24 million first doses of a Covid vaccine, although authorities are concerned that misinformation is preventing some people from accepting the jab.

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