Tackling dangerous anti-vax content critical to getting the unvaccinated vaccinated, says Labour
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Labour is warning that government inaction and complacency on
tackling dangerous anti-vax sentiment online is costing lives and
putting huge pressure on the NHS with the majority of people
requiring serious care in hospital for Covid unvaccinated. In
November 2020, Labour called on the government to work cross Party
to introduce emergency legislation that would include financial and
criminal penalties for companies that fail to act to stamp out
dangerous anti-vax...Request free trial
Labour is warning that government inaction and complacency on tackling dangerous anti-vax sentiment online is costing lives and putting huge pressure on the NHS with the majority of people requiring serious care in hospital for Covid unvaccinated. In November 2020, Labour called on the government to work cross Party to introduce emergency legislation that would include financial and criminal penalties for companies that fail to act to stamp out dangerous anti-vax content. The Conservatives failed to do so, and Boris Johnson has since broken his promise to introduce the Online Safety Bill before Parliament went into Christmas recess. It has now emerged that the government shut down the Counter Disinformation Forum in June, despite the ongoing issues over anti-vaccine disinformation and the problems that is causing with large numbers of people who still haven’t had a jab. Analysis [by the Labour Party] reveals that dedicated anti-vaccination groups with hundreds of thousands of members on social media are still churning out disinformation – despite the Government and social media companies’ promises to tackle the issue. Long-term monitoring of UK-based spreaders of anti-vaccine and Covid denial content by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate shows that they have nearly 1.5 million followers, including over half a million followers on Facebook. Their analysis also shows that Facebook is still hosting accounts belonging to the Disinformation Dozen, the 12 anti-vaxxers responsible for up to 65% of anti-vaccine content on Facebook and Twitter. Alongside this an investigation shows:
Lucy Powell MP, Labour’s Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, said: “The continuing spread of vaccine misinformation online is hitting vaccine uptake, and tackling this is critical to getting the unvaccinated vaccinated. One person put off the vaccine by dangerous anti vaxers is one too many. “The tech giants are failing to wipe out vaccine lies. The truth is that government complacency on fake news means that are failing to take action against online platforms that are facilitating the spread of disinformation. This is now a matter of life and death. The Government must stand up to Big Tech companies, ignore their excuses, and introduce financial and criminal penalties for failures that lead to serious harm.” Ends Notes to editors
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date was the most recent meeting of the Government’s counter disinformation forum in which anti-vaccine disinformation was discussed. (90924) Tabled on: 10 December 2021: Answer: Chris Philp: The Counter Disinformation Policy Forum was a six-month pilot programme that concluded on 10 June 2021. It brought together social media companies, academics, fact-checkers and researchers in response to concerns about the serious risk of harm posed by COVID-19 and anti-vaccination mis/disinformation. Although the Policy Forum has concluded, DCMS regularly meets with major social media platforms bilaterally and at an Industry Group. This helps further our collective understanding of the issues and the steps being taken to address misinformation and disinformation in order to ensure this issue is tackled effectively. DCMS also continues to engage with relevant cross-sector expertise from across academia and civil society. In addition the DCMS-led Counter Disinformation Unit monitors for false and misleading narratives shared on social media. Where dangerous and incorrect claims about the virus are identified these are flagged to the relevant platforms. Anti Vax impacts on public health
Anti Vax activity online - Dr. Vernon Coleman
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