Facebook is working to limit the reach of posts making “sensational health claims” in an effort to tamp down on misinformation, according to a new announcement from the social media network. Social media sites are notorious breeding grounds for dubious health information, from anti-vaccine arguments to too-good-to-be-true wellness claims. A Wall Street Journal investigation published Tuesday, the same day Facebook made its announcement, found that Facebook and YouTube are rife with posts promoting questionable alternative cancer therapies, for example. Many of these therapies are unproven, and can be dangerous if patients rely on them instead of doctor-prescribed care. Facebook’s new policy is meant to prevent the spread of this type of content, since, as the announcement notes, “people don’t like posts that are sensational or spammy, and misleading health content is particularly bad for our community.” The site is also cracking down on p...
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