Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Instagram Placed A Disclaimer For People Searching The #Coronavirus Hashtag To Reduce Misinformation

Instagram Placed A Disclaimer For People Searching The #Coronavirus Hashtag To Reduce Misinformation

Facebook has also said it would conduct "proactive sweeps" in order to remove or block hashtags spreading misinformation on Instagram.
When users click into the #coronavirus hashtag on Instagram, they will now see a notice encouraging them to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for credible information about the virus.

Instagram officially implemented the update on Sunday after parent company Facebook first announced plans to combat misinformation about the virus two weeks ago.

"When people ... tap a related hashtag on Instagram, we will surface an educational pop-up with credible information," Facebook said.

A company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that the CDC warning was part of an effort to "help reduce the spread of information that could put people in harm's way."

Facebook has also said it would conduct "proactive sweeps" in order to remove or block hashtags spreading misinformation on Instagram. It did not say what hashtags have been removed, if any.

The CDC warning follows initiatives taken by other giant social media platforms, like Pinterest, who also placed a disclaimer above pins and hashtags related to the coronavirus.

BuzzFeed News first encountered Instagram's change when clicking across this Instagram post with the #coronavirus hashtag from a German fitness influencer vacationing in Thailand.

@Fitnessoskar shared a photo of him and his partner kissing in matching face masks, writing, in German, that while they're not afraid of the virus, they're still wearing masks for self-protection. He said he's been getting a lot of questions about whether or not he's fearful about the virus while he's in Phuket, Thailand. He ends his long caption by asking his fans to share their thoughts and opinions on the virus in the comments.

The post is hashtagged with a few things, including #kiss and #coronavirus.

Along with explicit misinformation and directly dangerous content that's being shared about the virus on social media, the hashtag also attracts memes and insensitive jokes.

As happens with any global crises nowadays, a handful of opportune users are also hashtagging #coronavirus for personal content and other self-interest values, like clout.

However, the priority for Facebook and Instagram seems to be posts with overt misinformation.

In addition to the disclaimer, the company said it has offered free advertising credits to health organizations who want to run educational ads about the coronavirus on its platforms, and that it's "closely coordinating" with these organizations to provide "accurate information about the situation."

Large social media companies have come under scrutiny over the years for enabling, or being slow to take action against, misinformed health-related content.

Many false or false posts have spread on Facebook in relation to the coronavirus.

As YouTube and Facebook are trying to crack down on fake and unverified content, among 500 of the most-watched videos featuring the keyword “coronavirus" that BuzzFeed News watched, dozens of videos included unconfirmed or made-up facts. The questionable YouTube videos then are shared to Facebook, where they rapidly go viral.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×