Facebook BANS ads that ‘attempt to create a sense of urgency’ around coronavirus or promise to cure it in latest attempt to reduce misinformation and fearmongering
- The firm committed to combat false information on the outbreak back in January
- Coronavirus has infected around 81,242 people and killed 2,771 individuals
- Social media sites have become a hotbed for panic and misinformation
- Meanwhile, Amazon is cracking down on vendors overpricing face masks
Facebook has banned ads that ‘attempt to create a sense of urgency’ around coronavirus or promise to cure it in its latest attempt to reduce misinformation.
Coronavirus — properly known as COVID-19 — has to date infected around 81,242 people across the globe and resulted in 2,771 deaths.
Like many social media platforms, Facebook has ended up hosting much agitated conversation around the outbreak, alongside a slew of adverts for face masks.
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Facebook has banned ads that ‘attempt to create a sense of urgency’ around coronavirus or promise to cure it in its latest attempt to reduce misinformation. Pictured, Mark Zuckerberg
‘We recently implemented a policy to prohibit ads that refer to the coronavirus and create a sense of urgency, like implying a limited supply, or guaranteeing a cure or prevention,’ a spokesperson for Facebook told Business Insider.
‘We also have policies for surfaces like Marketplace that prohibit similar behaviour.’
The California-based social media firm employs fact checkers to validate suspect claims identified on its newsfeed and help suppress any misleading information within both Facebook and its stablemate, Instagram.
The latest announcement builds on Facebook’s commitment of late January 2020 to remove outright misinformation concerning the outbreak from its site.
‘We will also start to remove content with false claims or conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global health organisations and local health authorities that could cause harm to people who believe them,’ the firm said.
‘We are doing this as an extension of our existing policies to remove content that could cause physical harm.
‘We’re focusing on claims that are designed to discourage treatment or taking appropriate precautions.
‘This includes claims related to false cures or prevention methods — like drinking bleach cures the coronavirus — or claims that create confusion about health resources that are available.’

Coronavirus — properly known as COVID-19 — has to date infected around 81,242 people across the globe and resulted in 2,771 deaths. Pictured, a face mask advert from Facebook


Like many social media platforms, Facebook has ended up hosting much agitated conversation around the outbreak, alongside a slew of adverts for face masks, pictured
At the same time, Business Insider has reported that Facebook users have been turning to groups on the social network in order to bulk-buy and sell medical face masks — with panic buying fostering a shortage of the items where really needed.
Coronavirus is also causing issues for other social media sites and online platforms.
Amazon, for example, has been cracking down on retailers attempting to price-gouge their customers looking to purchase protective face masks — with some vendors having quadrupled the cost of the items, Wired reported.
The retail platform’s ‘Fair Pricing Policy’ mandates that items not be listed with costs considerably more than ‘recent prices offered on or off Amazon.’

The announcement builds on Facebook’s commitment to remove outright misinformation concerning the outbreak from its site. ‘We will also start to remove content with false claims or conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global health organisations and local health authorities that could cause harm to people who believe them,’ the firm said


‘We recently implemented a policy to prohibit ads that refer to the coronavirus and create a sense of urgency, like implying a limited supply, or guaranteeing a cure or prevention,’ a spokesperson for Facebook told Business Insider

At the same time, Business Insider has reported that Facebook users have been turning to groups on the social network in order to bulk-buy and sell medical face masks — with panic buying fostering a shortage of the items where really needed