Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, tech companies began putting in policies and rules for fighting and removing misinformation from their platforms, including the likes of social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter, and other companies like Microsoft, and more.
As for Twitter, the microblogging site began labeling tweets containing misleading claims and/or information about the pandemic. The firm has also constantly been modifying its policies to enforce the curb on false information. With countries now beginning to administer vaccines for the virus, the company today announced updated policies that aim to prevent misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
Beginning December 21, the company says that it will require users to remove posts containing any of the following points that “advance harmful[,] false[,] or misleading narratives” about COVID-19 vaccinations:
- False claims that suggest immunizations and vaccines are used to intentionally cause harm to or control populations, including statements about vaccines that invoke a deliberate conspiracy;
- False claims which have been widely debunked about the adverse impacts or effects of receiving vaccinations; or
- False claims that COVID-19 is not real or not serious, and therefore that vaccinations are unnecessary.
Additionally, the social media firm plans to begin labeling or place warnings on tweets backing “unsubstantiated rumors, disputed claims, as well as incomplete or out-of-context information about vaccines” starting next year, just like it does currently for misleading or inaccurate facts about the pandemic. The firm adds that the labeled tweets will be linked to official sources for additional context about the disputed claims, or to the Twitter Rules page.