On Friday, Meta Platforms announced the discontinuation of a global policy intended to limit the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram.
Throughout the pandemic, social media networks like Facebook and Twitter faced significant scrutiny regarding their handling of misinformation, particularly concerning false narratives about vaccines. This pressure led to the implementation of stringent measures to combat misleading information.
In late 2021, Facebook revealed that it had removed 1.3 billion fake accounts and more than 12 million COVID-19-related content pieces identified by health experts as misinformation within a three-month period.
Last July, Meta sought guidance from its independent oversight board about its misinformation policy, noting improvements in the availability of credible information and increased public understanding of COVID-19.
Despite this shift, Meta clarified that the misinformation rules will still be enforced in countries where a public health emergency due to COVID-19 is declared. The company affirmed it will continue to take action against content that violates its policies on coronavirus misinformation.
In a blog post, Meta stated, “We are consulting with health experts to understand which claims and categories of misinformation could continue to pose this risk.”
In related news, earlier this month Twitter also reverted its COVID-19 misinformation policy.
Additionally, Meta has begun offering a verification service in India for a monthly fee of Rs. 699 for mobile apps. The company plans to introduce a web-based version of the service in the months ahead, priced at Rs. 599 per month.
