Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Instagram Announces Plans To Crack Down Hard On Anti-Vaxx Content Aimed At Spreading Misinformation

Instagram Announces Plans To Crack Down Hard On Anti-Vaxx Content Aimed At Spreading Misinformation
@becauseshepersisted/Instagram

Instagram is joining the online crusade to prevent anti-vaxxers from spreading misinformation.

Earlier this year, its parent company, Facebook, pledged to fight against circulating conspiracy theories online, but search results concerning anti-vaccination remained accessible.

On Thursday, the popular app announced they would effectively block hashtags associated with false information that could deter people from getting vaccinated.


Karina Newton, Instagram's global head of public policy explained how they would enforce the new policy.

"If the hashtag was #vaccines1234, if it contained a high proportion of known vaccine misinformation, we would block that hashtag entirely."


Instagram clarified that "known vaccine misinformation" refers to information that the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control have verified as false.

The latest announcement is in response to journalists putting on the pressure as New York declared a "public health emergency" in April due to another measles outbreak affecting 300 people.



New York Mayor Bill de Blasio indicated that anti-vaxxers are responsible for the outbreaks and castigated them for being a "part of an insidious, well-funded campaign to take advantage of parents who just want to take care of their kids. "

Instagram already blocks hashtags linking to false information, but now the company will delve deeper through the use of machine learning to study which hashtags are associated with posts removed under the misinformation policy.





All hashtags with a "high proportion" of misinformation will be blocked. The Verge added that Instagram did not disclose the percentage so as to avoid users from challenging the system.



In an effort to educate users looking up vaccination information in their searches, Instagram confirmed they will employ pop-ups with high-quality information, though its wording is still being finalized.


The policing of ant-vax content just started, so users should not expect to notice significant changes yet.

But some hashtags have already seen the ax.


Newton said, "It's going to take some time to continue the work on it," as users may still come across anti-vaxx propaganda while Instagram begins the process of removing such information.

Better late than never.

More from Trending

Screenshots of Justin Bieber being hounded by paparazzi
X17OnlineVideo

Fans Defend Justin Bieber After He Confronts Paparazzi For Constantly Hounding Him

Fans defended Justin Bieber after he berated the relentless paparazzi and accused them of only being concerned with turning a profit over valuing people's lives.

According to X17, the "Intentions" singer's retreat to Palm Springs, days before the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, was anything but relaxing as he clashed with the paparazzi for a third day in a row.

Keep ReadingShow less
RFK Jr.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

RFK Jr. Slammed After Claiming HHS Will Discover The Cause Of 'Autism Epidemic' By September

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that scientists would determine the cause of the "autism epidemic" by September, even though scientists haven't discovered a breakthrough despite decades of research.

In a cabinet meeting with Republican President Donald Trump on Thursday, RFK Jr. stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
J.D. Vance and Usha Vance listen to Susan Meyers during his Greenland visit
Jim Watson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Space Force Commander Fired Over Email Criticizing Vance's Greenland Comments

Vice President J.D. Vance and the wider Trump administration are facing criticism now that Colonel Susan Meyers was removed from her post as commander at Greenland's Pituffik Space Base after breaking with Vance in an email she wrote following his controversial visit to the island territory.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, alongside the Faroe Islands, the only other autonomous territory within the Kingdom. Citizens of both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are full citizens of Denmark. As one of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union, Greenland’s citizens are also recognized as EU citizens.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt and Scott Bessent
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Dragged After Making Mind-Numbing Claim About Trump's Tariffs Reversal

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is getting called out after she attempted to justify President Donald Trump's sudden reversal on his proposed tariffs, telling reporters that his actions make sense because he has a master plan to make the world bend the knee.

Trump declared a full 90-day suspension of all the “reciprocal” tariffs that took effect at midnight April 10—except for those on China—in a dramatic about-face from a president who had long championed his historically high tariff rates as permanent.

Keep ReadingShow less
religion signs
Noah Holm on Unsplash

People Explain What Stopped Them From Going To Church Anymore

There's been a perception of a bit of an exodus from religion for the last several decades. But humanity has gone from no organized religions to oppressive religious regimes to rebellion and back again over the last several millennia.

But is the 21st century when religion finally fails to bounce back?

Keep ReadingShow less