Facebook Bans Anti-Vaccination Ads

In Facebook’s blog post on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, by Head of Health Kang-Xing Jin, and Director of Product Management Rob Leathern, they have stated that they are launching a new global policy prohibiting ads that discourage vaccines.

“Today, we’re launching a new global policy that prohibits ads discouraging people from getting vaccinated. We don’t want these ads on our platform.”

Furthermore, the goal of Facebook’s new policy is to help messages about the safety and efficacy of vaccines reach a broad group of people while prohibiting ads with misinformation that could harm public health efforts.

The Social Media Giant already doesn’t allow ads with vaccine hoaxes publicly identified by leading global health organizations.

In addition, the platform would reject ads explicitly discouraging someone from getting a vaccine and the enforcement will start over the next few days.

Ads That Are Still Allowed

The Social Media Manager Aleksandra Kuzmanovic of the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a statement regarding the latest policy of Facebook.

“Access to reliable information is important to ensure uptake of safe and effective vaccines. We welcome Facebook’s update of its vaccine ad policies to prohibit ads that discourage people from getting vaccinated.”

-Social Media Manager Aleksandra Kuzmanovic

In the new policy of Facebook, ads that advocate for or against legislation or government policies around vaccines which includes the vaccine for coronavirus are still allowed.

In the blog post of Facebook, they will continue to require anyone running the ads to get authorized and for people to see who is behind the ads ‘Paid for by’ label will be included.

Furthermore, they have added in the blog post, “We regularly refine our approach around ads that are about social issues to capture debates and discussions around sensitive topics happening on Facebook. Vaccines are no different. While we may narrow enforcement in some areas, we may expand it in others.”

And, Facebook has stated that to help people using the platform stay healthy and safe they will continue supporting vaccine efforts.

“We will continue supporting vaccine efforts as part of our work to help the people who use our platform stay healthy and safe. “

Source: Facebook