F.acebook said it removed 1.3 billion fake accounts and removed more than 12 million posts making false claims about Covid-19 to tackle misinformation.
The social media site made the latest revelations in a blog post on its website before it underwent an inspection by US lawmakers.
It deleted the 1.3 billion fake accounts between last October and December.
The company said, “Despite all these efforts, there are some who believe we have a financial interest in turning a blind eye to misinformation. The opposite is the case. We have every motivation to keep misinformation out of our apps, and we’ve taken many steps to do so at the expense of user growth and engagement. “
Pressure is mounting on social media sites to prevent fake news from spreading on their websites as concerns exist that it could harm the global response to the pandemic, for example by preventing people from receiving a vaccine .
Earlier this month, Alan Rusbridger, who sits on the supervisory board of Facebook, said it was a difficult task for social media companies to stop all misinformation.
“You don’t really solve something by shoving it underground. So I have some sympathy for Facebook because a blanket ban on Covid misinformation would be easier for moderators and machines to understand.”
