Pinterest Makes It Harder to Find Anti-Vax Content
LatestCrunchy moms looking for false information about the dangers of vaccines right next to cupcake recipes and birthday party inspiration on Pinterest will have a much harder time. As measles outbreaks and warnings sweep the country, the website is partnering with groups like Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the American Academy of Pediatrics to create pins about how vaccines actually work for skeptical users.
Fast Company reports that while Pinterest already blocks searches for anti-vaccination keywords (“Pins about this topic often violate our Community Guidelines, which prohibit harmful medical information,” an error page once read) now those searches lead to nearly 390 approved informational pins from “internationally-recognized health organizations.”
“We’re taking this approach because we believe that showing vaccine misinformation alongside resources from public health experts isn’t responsible,” the company wrote to Fast Company. Now if only every other social media site would crack down on dangerous comments and misinformation about vaccines!