Social networking platform Pinterest, has joined other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, to restrict the spread of vaccine misinformation. The site announced Wednesday that it would direct all searches related to vaccination to results from public health bodies like the World Health Organisation.
“We’re taking this approach because we believe that showing vaccine misinformation alongside resources from public health experts isn’t responsible,” the firm said in a statement. While vaccine-preventable ailments like polio and measles have been almost eradicated in Nigeria, the same religious and tribal mistrust that slowed down immunization in the country is having a firm grip on the USA both physically and virtually. This has forced online platforms which are mainly domiciled in the US to take action.
“As we continue to tackle health misinformation, we remove it and the accounts that spread it from our service,” Pinterest added.
WHO rated anti-vaccine views as being among the “top 10 global health threats” in 2019. The BBC notes that the volume of anti-vaccine sentiment on social media has risen in recent years, sparking concerns that it is having a negative impact on immunisation rates in several countries.
Statistical health 2018 data from Europe, indicates that Albania, Britain, the Czech Republic and Greece — lost their “measles-free” status, which is defined as going 12 months without any cases. The figures also show that Measles is viewed as endemic in 12 countries, including France and Germany. In a new report WHO described the entrance of measles in the continent, as a ‘dramatic resurgence,’ saying its officials have to do more about dispelling vaccine misinformation.
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