UK agrees to new measures with social media giants to combat COVID-19 misinformation

The United Kingdom government has reached a set of new measures with social media companies to tackle misinformation and disinformation online regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. The British government on November 8 announced that it will work together with companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google to combat misinformation on social media platforms regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and treatment. 

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New measures to tackle misinformation

During a meeting with the UK’s Department for Digital, and the Department of Health, Facebook, Twitter, and Google committed to the principle that no company should benefit from the spread of misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and must respond to flagged content quickly. The companies also agreed to work with the government to promote scientifically accurate messages and ensure that they reach as many people as possible. 

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“Covid disinformation is dangerous and could cost lives. While social media companies are taking steps to stop it from spreading on their platforms there is much more that can be done. So I welcome this new commitment from social media giants not to profit from or promote flagged anti-vax content, given that making money from this dangerous content would be wrong,” Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said in a statement. 

‘I am encouraged that social media companies have agreed to do more to prevent the spread of dangerous misinformation and disinformation on their platforms,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. 

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This comes as the United Kingdom prepares itself to launch a potential COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2020. The United Kingdom government, which was expecting to get the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine by September, has informed that the doses will be available before 2020 ends. Late last month, several media reports had indicated that the British government had asked the National Health Service (NHS) trust to prepare for the arrival of a vaccine. 

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