How social media are responding to virus

Blame the platform, not the user.

Critics who blame major social media platforms for enabling the spread of misdeeds and misinformation have uttered those words more than once.

But today is not one of those days.

This is because Facebook and friends have stepped up their response to dealing with the coronavirus. In truth, they’ve been preparing for this for weeks — long before the first cases were detected in the U.S.

Just as quickly as the virus has spread around the world, so too has misinformation about everything from data on those infected to how we can protect ourselves, and what to do if we think we’re infected.

Each of the major social media platforms announced plans — some as far back as late January and some as recent as yesterday — as to how we can stay safe at home and on their sites.

Here’s what they’re doing.

Read more at https://www.vindy.com/life/lifestyles/2020/03/how-social-media-are-responding-to-virus/ (may encounter paywall).