Theanti - vaxmovement hasdone a stack to derailone of the greatest achievement of modern medication : vaccination . Measles , a potentially deadly disease that is easily prevented with the MMR vaccinum , has seen a global resurgence this twelvemonth , with1,261 casesreported in the US alone . In 2016 , that figure was just 86 .
Parents opting not to inoculate their tike is a key cause of the computer virus ’ comeback , and one means they have been targeted is through Facebook advertizing . A new study , published in the journalVaccine , has found that more than half of anti - vax advertising on Facebook derive from just two funders : the World Mercury Project ( WMP ) , chairman by Robert F Kennedy Jr. , and Stop Mandatory Vaccination ( SMV ) , head by Larry Cook .
This year , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) ranked vaccine hesitancy as one of its top 10 threats to global wellness . A fundamental exit behind an increase in vaccinum hesitance – the refusal to get yourself or your tyke immunise – is the spread of misinformation , which is aggravate by societal media .
An offspring faced by those promoting vaccinations and raise awareness of their proven safety is that Facebook course of instruction vaccine advert as “ political ” . This can cause positive ad to be taken down while tightly organise anti - vaxxers apply tactic to get around restrictions , for example by using language such as “ freedom ” or “ choice ” or else of directly utter about vaccines .
" By accept the frame of vaccine opponents – that vaccination is a political issue , rather than one on which there is widespread public arrangement and scientific consensus – Facebook perpetuates the mistaken idea that there is even a debate to be had , " state David Broniatowski , associate prof of engineering management and organization engineering at George Washington University , and master investigator of the study , in astatement . " This leads to increased vaccinum hesitancy , and ultimately , more epidemics .
" Worse , these insurance really penalise pro - vaccine substance since Facebook requires disclosure of funding sources for ' political ' ads , but vaccine proponents rarely suppose of themselves as political . to boot , vaccinum resister are more organized and more able-bodied to make trusted that their ads assemble these necessity . "
Time and metre again , science hasconclusively shown that vaccinum are safeand save millions of lives around the mankind . Unvaccinated children die of disease like measles , so purport the whimsy that vaccines are dangerous has prejudicious consequences .
In March of this year , Facebook announce it was update its advertizing policies in an attempt to combat anti - vax ad . Time will recount whether this proves to be a success .
