Facebook is updating its policies around the coronavirus by removing false claims about upcoming vaccines.
The social media giant will be monitoring for misinformation that has been debunked by public health experts on both its main app and Instagram.
The new rules come as a coronavirus vaccine becomes more likely in the coming days after Wednesday's Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine announcement. However, a surge of disinformation on social media came as a result.
“This could include false claims about the safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects of the vaccines. For example, we will remove false claims that COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips, or anything else that isn’t on the official vaccine ingredient list”, Facebook said in its announcement.
It added that it will also remove conspiracy theories about Covid-19 vaccines that we know today are false, such as that specific populations are being forced to test the vaccine against their will.
“Since it’s early and facts about COVID-19 vaccines will continue to evolve, we will regularly update the claims we remove based on guidance from public health authorities as they learn more”, Facebook added, but also said that it would “not be able to start enforcing these policies overnight.”