Facebook Fact-Checker: Fake News Is Very Bad For Your Health

If you’re having a heart attack, cough vigorously. Pregnant? Avoid some bath products. And if you’ve been stabbed, stem the blood with a tampon.

These dubious pieces of health advice are among dozens of untrue Facebook claims caught by the social media giant’s new team of UK fact-checkers.

Full Fact, an independent charity, was appointed by the company in January to challenge the spread of misinformation on its platform.

The organisation investigates the veracity of posts flagged as potentially misleading by the tech company’s own systems. It has the power to attach warnings to posts it deems questionable, alerting users who may be tempted to share the content.

It has published 96 fact checks in the first six months of the scheme. Of these, 59…

The Times (UK)

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