Fb will inform folks the place to get vaccinated

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Georgetown University in a “Free Speech Conversation” in Washington, DC on October 17, 2019.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images

Facebook this week will show its US users information on where and when they can get Covid-19 vaccines, the company said on Monday.

As part of the Covid-19 Information Center, Facebook will redirect users to the websites of local health authorities where they can obtain information about their eligibility for vaccination. The function will be expanded worldwide in the coming weeks.

The company will also provide public health authorities around the world with $ 120 million in advertising credits to run campaigns about Covid-19 vaccines.

In addition, the company announced that it worked with the World Health Organization to add to the list of false claims regarding Covid-19, which Facebook will remove from its services. This includes claims that Covid-19 was made by humans, claims that vaccines are not effective, and claims that vaccines can cause autism.

For groups that previously violated Facebook’s Covid-19 guidelines, the company temporarily requires administrators to approve all posts in their groups before they are posted. On Instagram, the company will make it harder for people to find accounts that are preventing people from getting vaccinated. Facebook and Instagram groups, pages and accounts that repeatedly share exposed Covid-19 claims could be removed entirely, the company said.

Facebook said it is also working with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to ensure information about the Covid-19 vaccines reaches communities where vaccine access may be lower. This includes Native American, black, and Latin American communities.

The company announced its plans in November to provide users with authoritative information about the Covid-19 vaccines.

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