GoFundMe Joins Social Media Peers In Cracking Down On Antivaccination Movement
“Campaigns raising money to promote misinformation about vaccines violate GoFundMe’s terms of service and will be removed from the platform," GoFundMe spokesman Bobby Whithorne said. The company joins other high-profile tech companies that are stepping up to regulate their online communities. Other vaccination news comes out of Kentucky, Oregon, Michigan and Minnesota.
The Washington Post:
Anti-Vaxxers Face A Crackdown From GoFundMe, Instagram And Other Platforms
GoFundMe has joined a growing list of social media companies cracking down on anti-vaccination propaganda to help stop the spread of misinformation. The increased effort from tech giants, such as Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube, comes amid a relentless anti-vaccine movement, talk about “chickenpox parties” and concerns over measles outbreaks across the country. It also comes as the American Medical Association, the nation’s most prominent doctors’ organization, has urged social media platforms to ensure users have access to accurate information on vaccines. (Bever, 3/22)
The Associated Press:
Kentucky Anti-Vaxxer Gets Hearing Over Chickenpox Ban
An unvaccinated student in Kentucky will get his day in court after suing because he can't participate in extracurricular activities during a chickenpox outbreak. The Courier Journal reports 18-year-old Jerome Kunkel's case will be heard in court April 1. Unvaccinated students have ordered by the state health department to stay away from the Our Lady of the Assumption Church school and its activities during the outbreak. (3/22)
The Oregonian:
The Oregon Tetanus Case Caused Many To Want Justice. But Do Vaccines Reach Child Neglect Bar?
The law in Oregon, Washington and generally across the nation sides with parents on medical issues. While there are some notable examples when hospitals and child protection agencies have stepped in, a child’s medical decisions are almost always in the hands of their parents. A high threshold exists for a state agency, prosecutor or hospital to claim that a parent is abusing or neglecting a child based on medical decisions. Parental medical judgments are rarely challenged. Multnomah County family court judges said they see very few cases -- sometimes only one in 20 years. (Harbarger, 3/24)
Detroit Free Press:
Oakland County Measles Outbreak Up To 8 Cases
The measles outbreak in Oakland County has grown to eight confirmed cases, officials announced Friday. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Oakland County Health Division are urging people to get vaccinated. The agencies also have released an expanded list of places where people may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease to include stores, medical facilities, and even the Oakland County Circuit courthouse. (Zaniewski, 3/22)
The Star Tribune:
Look Up Vaccination Rates At More Than 2,900 Minnesota Schools And Day Cares
Hundreds of Minnesota schools and child care centers face an increased risk of measles outbreaks because not enough of their students have been vaccinated against the disease, according to a Star Tribune data analysis. When fewer than 90 percent of students enrolled in a school haven't received both doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, known as MMR, health officials consider the school to be at higher risk of an outbreak, compromising "herd immunity" and leaving individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons especially vulnerable. (Palazzolo and Webster, 3/23)
