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GoFundMe Will No Longer Let Anti-Vaxxers Raise Money To Spread Misinformation

Updated September 8, 2021

I'm old enough to remember a time when we didn't have to fight misinformation because of a thing called editorial oversight. Basically, the rise of social media has flattened the landscape of publishing, allowing any misinformed rube to spout whatever nonsense they want, without any oversight from a knowledgeable, responsible professional, and reach a sizable audience. And it's entirely possible that I'm only old enough to remember that because I got vaccinated.

But finally the landscape seems to be getting a bit better, which is great because lives are literally at stake.

GoFundMe is joining Facebook, YouTube, and Amazon in the online fight against misinformation from the anti-vaxxer movement.

As The Daily Beast reported, the crowdfunding site is removing campaigns aimed at raising money to spread misinformation about vaccines.

"Campaigns raising money to promote misinformation about vaccines violate GoFundMe's terms of service and will be removed from the platform," said spokesperson Bobby Whithorne.

While GoFundMe hasn't been the anti-vaxxer hotbed that Facebook has, the platform has been used to raise funds for things like Facebook campaigns.

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flu_Vaccination_Grippe_(5116253616).jpg

Whithorne said that such campaigns were "extremely rare," but they did happen.

The Daily Beast found several campaigns supporting prominent anti-vaxxers to the tune of at least $170,000 for anti-vaxxers over the past four years, one of which raised almost $80,000 dollars to, among other things, boost Facebook campaigns targeting women of childbearing age in Washington state during a measles outbreak and possibly pay some "personal bills."

Some of those who have used GoFundMe to raise funds for anti-vaxxer messaging oppose the platform's move.

Unsplash | Marlon Lara

Melissa Sullivan, executive vice president of Health Choice Connecticut, formerly known as Vaccine Choice CT, called GoFundMe's ban a "violation of the First Amendment. Whether you believe it's true or not, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I would hope they would reconsider. This movement needs to be able to get funds in order to fight pharma giants like Merck and other vaccine manufacturers."

GoFundMe's terms of service state that "products that make health claims that have not been approved or verified by the applicable local...or national regulatory body" are prohibited.

Flickr | taracmcmillan

So in addition to anti-vaxxer messaging, GoFundMe has banned a German clinic's "high-dose vitamin infusions" and "ozone therapy" treatments, for example.

GoFundMe is just the latest tech platform to try to stem the tide of anti-vaccination misinformation.

Facebook has pledged to take action against anti-vaxxer pages and ads, and Pinterest has blocked many anti-vaccination-related search terms.

Meanwhile, YouTube said that it's demonetizing anti-vaccination content, and Amazon took down some anti-vaxxer documentaries from its Prime video service.

h/t The Daily Beast

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