Facebook has recently announced that it will remove all the false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, under their new COVID-19 misinformation policy.
The update comes as one COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized in the UK and other authorizations are expected to happen soon in the US and around the world. But some experts say these kinds of policies are coming too late to stop the flow of vaccine misinformation.
Facebook is expanding the policy to include any posts about vaccines that feature claims which have been debunked by public health experts. This includes conspiracy theories — like vaccines containing microchips — and false claims about the safety, efficacy, ingredients, or side effects of vaccines.
Facebook says enforcement will not happen overnight, and that as facts about COVID-19 vaccines evolve, the list of claims that constitute removal will be regularly updated.