Earlier this year, when COVID-19 vaccines started rolling out, Facebook introduced new policies to censor “misinformation.”
Now, the company has extended the policies to include kids, after the FDA authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer jab for kids between the ages of 5 and 11.
The company said it will start sending in-feed reminders in English and Spanish to its US users to remind them that the vaccine is currently available for children. The reminders will have a link containing information on the nearest vaccination center.
The updated vaccine misinformation policies prohibit claims that the vaccines for kids are not available and that the vaccines have not been tested on kids. The company will also not allow claims that the vaccines can cause severe harm or kill children.
Facebook will also not allow claims that the vaccines are ineffective on kids and any claim that anything other than the approved vaccines can protect kids from the virus.
Facebook claimed that its vaccine misinformation policies are part of a collaboration with the WHO, CDC, and other public health bodies. The company promised to continue updating its policies to keep up with new developments related to the vaccines.
Here is the full ban list:
- Claims that the COVID-19 vaccines do not exist for children
- Claims that the COVID-19 vaccine for children is untested
- Claims that something other than a COVID-19 vaccine can vaccinate children against COVID-19
- Claims that the COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe for children
- Claims that the COVID-19 vaccines kill or seriously harm children
- Claims that the COVID-19 vaccines are not effective in preventing COVID-19 for children
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Facebook claims to have removed more than 20 million posts from both the main platform and Instagram.
