Facebook Neglects False Vaccine Information Like 'Dudeoji Jabgi' Game

CNN "False information left unattended blocked by user reports... response not appropriate"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Facebook, which has been criticized for failing to adequately respond to COVID-19 misinformation, has been found to have left the hashtag '#baeksini (saram-eul) jukinda' (meaning '#vaccine kills (people)') unblocked and unattended.

On the 21st (local time), CNN reported that after discovering content with this hashtag and inquiring with Facebook, the platform blocked the related content within a few hours.

Currently, when searching this hashtag on Facebook, a notice appears stating, "'#baeksini jukinda' posts are temporarily blocked" and "Some content in these posts violates our community standards."

Previously, posts found under this hashtag included claims such as "The vaccine literally eats people's brains" and "Dark forces have activated a population reduction plan," and Facebook had left these posts unattended without taking blocking measures.

CNN criticized this cycle, where misinformation left unattended on the platform is only blocked after being discovered by users, likening it to a "whack-a-mole" game.

CNN pointed out, "Even last week, while being criticized by the White House for contributing to the spread of vaccine-related misinformation, Facebook did not take the simple step of blocking this hashtag."

Last week, Facebook strongly denied the White House's criticism that it was responsible for the slow COVID-19 vaccination rate, claiming that the facts were distorted and that Facebook was not to blame.

This was in response to President Biden targeting Facebook by saying that social media platforms like Facebook are "killing people" by allowing misinformation to spread and causing people to avoid vaccination.

Facebook accused the Biden administration of making social media companies the "scapegoat" for failing to meet vaccination rate goals.

CNN also reported that during a measles outbreak in New York in February 2019, Facebook had pledged to "fight vaccine misinformation," but two months later, posts from anti-vaccine accounts on Instagram were left unattended, causing controversy.