Parents who care about accurate, nuanced, evidenced-based advice have some reason to cheer. This week Facebook launched an initiative to combat vaccine-related misinformation. Users on Facebook and Instagram searching for vaccine content and groups or using vaccine hashtags, will see educational pop-up windows. These link to vaccine info at WHO and the CDCs – credible health authorities. Not your sister-in-law. Not your BFF. Or the woman in your playgroup who refuses to vaccinate her children.
The WHO and CDCs partnered with the social media behemoth. Take a peek at the result.
So it’s only taken a decade for social media to start addressing the spread of inaccurate health information. More like 15 years, but who’s counting? The WHO, actually. The World Health Organization (WHO) has pressed Facebook on the matter.
Major digital organizations have a responsibility to their users — to ensure that they can access facts about vaccines and health. It would be great to see social and search platforms come together to leverage their combined reach. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, statement, September 4, 2019
The Centers for Disease Control has noticed as well.
We know that parents often turn to social media to access health information and connect with other parents, and it can be difficult to determine what is accurate and who the credible sources of information are. CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund in an email to CNN and other news sources.
She can say that again. This deserves is a memorable moment in parenting news and advice.
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