(Editor’s note: As of press time, there is still no declaration from the World Health Organization about any proven treatment or vaccine against COVID-19.)
To help curtail the spread of misleading information about the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, Facebook has announced a new policy that bans ads that promise treatment or cure for the medical condition. Thus, you may not anymore encounter ads that provide bizarre cure or prevention methods like drinking bleach or eating exotic types of food for possible COVID-19 cure or prevention.
Based on a published report by the Business Insider, the most popular social media site in the world had disclosed that it already implemented a policy prohibiting such ads. It is also implemented in the social networking site’s Marketplace. The policy covers ads and posts that somehow create a sense of urgency—those ads that imply a limited supply of certain products and any hint of a possible cure or prevention.
As early as January this year, Facebook has already limited the spread of misinformation and misleading content about the virus across its platform. It has even utilized its network of fact-checkers to identify any misinformation and remove content with conspiracy theories and false claims, a move that is favorable to leading global health organizations and health authorities.