(Reuters) – Facebook Inc said Monday it will help users find out where and when they can receive the coronavirus vaccine and will expand a list of false health claims it bans from the platform.
The social media group said in a blog post that people can learn how to get vaccinated “in just a few taps” on the platform as more information about the vaccine rollout becomes available from public officials.
Facebook will expand the list of false claims about the coronavirus and vaccine that it will remove from its site, including that COVID-19 is a man-made virus, and that vaccines are toxic and cause autism. Such claims are already prohibited in ads on the platform.
Enforcement will begin immediately on pages, groups and accounts that post the false information, and Facebook will expand enforcement over time, the blog post said.
Facebook said it will also partner with Johns Hopkins and the AARP to reach Black, Latinx, Native Americans and people over 50 with educational content that addresses concerns those groups may have about the new vaccine.
(Reporting by Sheila Dang. Editing by Jane Merriman)
