Meta No Longer Bans Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation on Facebook and Instagram

Meta has just announced cancellation of policies for the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 on Facebook and Instagram. (photo: dock.pexs)

JAKARTA - Meta has just announced the cancellation of its policy for spreading misinformation related to COVID-19 on Facebook and Instagram. This new rule will apply globally.

The decision, made by the company based on how many pandemic national emergency statuses have been lifted in various countries, was recommended by its independent supervisory board.

"Our COVID-19 misinformation rules will no longer apply globally because the global public health emergency declaration that triggered the rules has been lifted," Meta said in his official blog, quoted Monday, June 19.

Social media, especially those based in the United States (US), are experiencing tremendous pressure from the government and other parties to enforce policies on handling COVID-19 misinformation. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even TikTok are claimed to be hotbeds of misinformation, such as false claims about vaccines.

However, Meta will continue to apply these rules in countries that still consider COVID-19 a national emergency.

"In countries that (still) have a COVID-19 public health emergency declaration, we will continue to remove content for violating our COVID-19 misinformation policy given the risk of imminent physical harm," said Meta.

"We are consulting with health experts to understand which claims and categories of misinformation may continue to pose this risk."

In this regard, Meta is not alone, Twitter stopped enforcing its COVID-19 misinformation policy in November last year, not long after billionaire Elon Musk took over the company, as reported by Engadget.