Facebook has a problem with more than just fake news. Add vaccine misinformation on the social network to the list.
Revealed Thursday: The social network says it will reduce distribution and provide users with "authoritative information" on the topic. Facebook is following the lead of Pinterest, which has blocked all searches using terms related to vaccines or vaccinations as part of a plan to stop the spread of misinformation related to anti-vaxx posts.
In mid-February, Facebook told USA TODAY it had "taken steps" to reduce fake health news and anti-vaxx posts and said it was considering making anti-vaccination content on its site less visible amid a measles outbreak that has reignited a conversation about preventative shots.
At the time, Facebook said, "we know we have more to do."
Facebook has been fighting misinformation on its platform since the 2016 presidential election after fake accounts and news stories aimed at sowing discord among users were discovered.
