Meta is bombarding patients with ads for bogus Cancer treatments

For the last many days’ Meta has been the focus of critique in spreading online disinformation for the last many days. There is no exact track record of Facebook when we talk about contesting disinformation. According to Facebook’s parent company Meta, it doesn’t allow ads with medical dis-information on Facebook except for Bogus Cancer treatments ad.

The company has a policy that prohibits ads that contain misleading health information. Despite that, bogus cancer treatment ads come across, and seems the company has no way to tackle them. The Meta’s policy says:

“Ads must not contain deceptive, false, or misleading claims like those relating to the effectiveness of characteristics of a product or service, including misleading health, employment, or weight-loss claims that set unrealistic expectations for users. The company’s community standards also bar site content from promoting or advocating for harmful miracle cures for health issues.”

Bogus Cancer treatments ad put Patients Lives at risk

There are multiple advertisements that ran on Facebook from different known clinics vending cancer treatments not surely approved by any regulatory bodies. There are many food items and medicines that circulate on this social media platform and that are disapproved by Food and Drug Administration but still boldly appear and people get fake hope from these. For example, CHIPSA Hospital uploads many ads about cancer treatments that are not widely used but still on Facebook they give surety about their unique treatment. Their treatment strategy is still unproven and no scientific evidence is found that proves that the Gerson treatment is beneficial for the cancer patients that they are using. Their other ads are related to Vitamin C intake in huge amounts which are actually harmful according to the oncology researcher Skyler Johnson working at the University of Utah.

Apart from these many fitness ads circulate on Facebook that has not been proven by any renowned authority. Slimming techniques that reduce 20 kg weight in just five days and many other such diets are not proven by any Food Administration body.

The online advertisements that pop up in the news feed are radially seen and followed so they are authenticated. The social media platform must take responsibility if any misinformation circulates via the platform.

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