As part of its ongoing effort to help stop the spread of false information amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Facebook today introduced a new measure to provide people with accurate and fresh news about the virus. The coronavirus information center will start appearing at the top of News Feed in the next 24 hours.
Facebook says the information hub will display real-time updates from reliable sources like the World Health Organization. In addition, the center will highlight articles, videos, and posts that discuss ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The messages will initially show up in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. Facebook will also roll out the information center in more territories and in other languages in the near future. People in the U.S. may also seek assistance from local groups within their community through the information center.
The latest announcement comes after the social networking giant joined forces with Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit recently to combat false news surrounding the coronavirus disease. Late last week, Facebook-owned Instagram also started cracking down on coronavirus AR effects, except if these are created by developers that work with recognized health organizations. Earlier this month, the company said it would give the World Health Organization as many free ads as necessary to help disseminate correct information about COVID-19.