Facebook, WHO launch campaign against COVID-19 misinformation

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Facebook (www.Facebook.com) has been working to connect people to accurate information and reduce misinformation on its platforms. Last month it announced the biggest worldwide campaign (https://bit.ly/3cGJamf) to promote authoritative information about Covid-19 vaccines – working to remove false vaccine claims, reduce the distribution of inaccurate health information, and inform people about effective vaccine delivery.

Today, across a number of African countries, Facebook is launching a new campaign in partnership with the WHO called ‘Together Against Covid-19 Misinformation’. The campaign will roll out to people in English and French across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and DRC, and will show up on Facebook through a series of graphics with tips on how to spot false news:

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 

Aïda Ndiaye, Public Policy Manager, commented “Ensuring users are getting authoritative information about Covid-19 vaccines is just some of the vital work we’re doing here at Facebook. During the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, we’ll continue working with industry experts and people on our platforms to ensure we’re aggressively tackling misinformation, and giving people additional resources to scrutinize content they see online, helping them decide what to read, trust and share.”

As part of the campaign, Facebook will also be launching a dedicated website (https://bit.ly/3fwscsN) in English and French, which will include information on how we’re tackling misinformation on our platforms. It will give people more transparency around our Remove, Reduce and Inform strategy, outline our community standards, and share the steps we’re taking to combat false news around global events such as Covid-19, elections, and climate change.