Facebook will tell people where to get vaccinated

This week, Facebook will begin showing its U.S. users information on where and when they can get vaccines against Covid-19, the company announced Monday.

As part of its Covid-19 information center, Facebook will direct users to websites of local health agencies where they can get information about their eligibility for vaccination. The function will expand globally over the coming weeks.

The company will also provide $ 120 million in advertising credits to health agencies around the world so they can campaign on Covid-19 vaccines.

In addition, the company said it collaborated with the World Health Organization to expand its list of Covid-19-related false claims that Facebook will remove from its services. This includes claims that Covid-19 is man-made, that vaccines are not effective, and that vaccines can cause autism.

For groups that have previously violated Facebook’s Covid-19 policies, the company will temporarily require administrators to approve all posts from their groups before they are published. On Instagram, the company makes it difficult to find accounts that discourage people from being vaccinated. Groups, pages, and Facebook and Instagram accounts that repeatedly share discredited Covid-19 claims can be eliminated altogether, the company said.

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

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

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