BuzzFeed News: Here’s How One Of Facebook’s Biggest Anti-Vax Communities Built Its Massive Network. “While Facebook is mulling over exactly how to combat a topic as complex and emotional as the anti-vaccination misinformation, members of its community continue to use the site’s tools to promote themselves. For a clear look at how this simple, ad-driven feedback loop works, let’s take a look at ‘Stop Mandatory Vaccination,’ one of the more prolific Facebook communities for anti-vaxxers.”
public health
BloombergQuint: Lawmaker Questions Google and Facebook About Anti-Vaccine Information
BloombergQuint: Lawmaker Questions Google and Facebook About Anti-Vaccine Information. “Democratic Representative Adam Schiff sent a letter to Google LLC Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai and Facebook Inc. founder Mark Zuckerberg, expressing concern that their platforms are carrying information discouraging parents from vaccinating their children.”
UK Authority: UK may lose access to verified medicines database
UKAuthority: UK may lose access to verified medicines database. “Patients will be at risk from fake medicines if the UK leaves the EU without a deal because access to a new EU-wide database could be lost, pharmaceutical leaders have warned.”
The Guardian: Facebook under pressure to halt rise of anti-vaccination groups
The Guardian: Facebook under pressure to halt rise of anti-vaccination groups. “Facebook is under pressure to stem the rise of anti-vaccination groups spreading false information about the dangers of life-saving vaccines while peddling unfounded alternative treatments such as high doses of vitamin C. So-called ‘anti-vaxxers’ are operating on Facebook in closed groups, where members have to be approved in advance. By barring access to others, they are able to serve undiluted misinformation without challenge.” Interestingly I just found this notice in my Maine.gov RSS feed about fake anti-vaccine flyers purportedly coming from the CDC.
WFMY: Researchers Developing App To Detect Food-borne Germs
WFMY: Researchers Developing App To Detect Food-borne Germs. “Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are using artificial intelligence in an effort to to create a system that would give consumers control when it comes to avoiding dangerous food-borne illnesses. It could one day enable you to scan lettuce for E.coli, detect lead in water and even determine whether the alcohol you’re drinking on vacation is tainted.”
Shots of social media: Study looks at whether posts, tweets help or hinder vaccination rates (Knox News)
Knox News: Shots of social media: Study looks at whether posts, tweets help or hinder vaccination rates. “When you’re looking for information to help you decide whether to vaccinate your children, where do you turn? Historically, most people have gone to their health-care provider for information. But with the advent of social media, more and more people are simply logging on. Now a group of researchers with Oak Ridge Associated Universities is looking at the impact of social media on vaccination rates — and whether it could be turned into a booster.”
EurekAlert: HepVu Releases state-level maps showing impact of h=Hepatitis C epidemic across the US
EurekAlert: HepVu Releases state-level maps showing impact of h=Hepatitis C epidemic across the US . “Today, HepVu launched new interactive maps visualizing state-level estimates of people living with Hepatitis C across the United States that highlight a concentration of infections in some states most impacted by the opioid epidemic. Published in JAMA Network Open, the data reveal an estimated 2.3 million people living with Hepatitis C infection in the U.S. between 2013 and 2016, with a high burden in the West and in some Appalachian states.”
