Facebook research reportedly finds small number of users responsible for spreading vaccine doubt

Facebook research into “vaccine-hesitant” beliefs has found that a small group of users is driving many of the discussions that may sow doubt or discouragement about taking a vaccine, The Washington Post reported.

Vaccine hesitancy predates both social media and COVID-19, as the World Health Organization reports, and can derail progress in eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases. The WHO points out that vaccine hesitancy may not be wholly responsible for an the 30 percent increase in measles cases around the world over the past several years, but it played a role in measles’ resurgence.

Facebook banned false and misleading ads about vaccines back in October, weeks before the first coronavirus vaccines were even available. In December,...

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