Facebook is working to limit the reach of posts creating “sensational health claims” in an attempt to tamp down on information, in line with a brand new announcement from the social media network.
Social media sites are notorious breeding grounds for
dubious health data, from
anti-vaccine arguments to too-good-to-be-true well-being claims. A Wall Street Journal investigation revealed Tuesday, the same day
Facebook created its announcement,
found that Facebook and YouTube are rife with posts promoting
questionable alternative cancer
therapies, for instance. Many of these therapies are unverified, and can be
dangerous if patients place
confidence in them rather
than doctor-prescribed care.
Facebook’s new policy is supposed to stop the unfold of this sort of content,
since, as the announcement
notes, “people don’t like posts that are sensational or spammy, and deceptive health content is especially dangerous for our community.” the site is additionally cracking down on posts attempting to sell products or services based on unsound health claims,
the announcement says.
But instead
of removing sensational health posts outright, Facebook will change the approach they’re ranked in users’ News
Feeds, in order that fewer folks see them. Posts that include certain commonly used
phrases — ones that suggest the
post either “exaggerates or misleads,” or that it’s using health claims to hawk merchandise like weight-loss
pills or medications — will show
up lower in users’ News Feed. The strategy is analogous to the one Facebook uses to limit the influence
of clickbait posted by
publishers.
The announcement doesn’t, however, mention groups, where health-related misinformation typically spreads and takes
hold within established
communities.