In an effort to stop the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19, aka coronavirus, outbreak, Facebook will start to put coronavirus information at the top of the news feed, so that it’s the first thing people see when they log on.
Facebook calls it the Coronavirus Information Center, and it sources updates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health authorities and organizations. Here, you’ll find articles, videos, advice, and posts containing accurate and helpful information about the coronavirus outbreak.
As part of the Coronavirus Information Center, people can see features to connect to local groups to find out how they can help others in their community, whether that’s buying someone groceries or donating needed items.
The Coronavirus Information Center will roll out to Facebook users in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. on Wednesday, and will expand to other countries this week.
The social media giant is also updating WhatsApp with the addition of an information hub. The hub is meant to be used by healthcare workers, educators, and local businesses in how to stay connected during this time of social distancing.
Facebook recently announced a variety of new initiatives the company is taking in light of the coronavirus outbreak. On Tuesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the company would give each of its 45,000 full-time workers a $1,000 bonus. The social network has also pledged to match up to $20 million in donations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation and various detection and prevention efforts.
Facebook and other tech companies like Amazon, Google, Twitter, and more are working with the World Health Organization (WHO) with the goal of stopping the spread of misinformation about the novel coronavirus.
Last week, WHO officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. As of this writing, there have been more than 214,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide, and 8,248 confirmed deaths, according to an online dashboard that tracks cases. The virus is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China, but there have been confirmed cases in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and dozens of other countries around the globe.
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