An Replace to Patreon’s Insurance policies on COVID-19-Associated Medical Misinformation

For the reason that starting of 2020 the world has been united within the wrestle to include and defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. In current months, as governments around the globe have begun approving vaccines and different medicines to fight the unfold and severity of COVID-19, now we have additionally noticed a rise in on-line exercise selling medical-misinformation. Now we have been impressed by the actions that first-responders and well being officers have taken all around the world as a way to save peoples’ lives, and wish to make sure that Patreon just isn’t supporting efforts to miseducate patrons or the general public at-large on COVID-19 prevention, mitigation, and therapy.

Beginning right this moment, Patreon is updating its group tips to deal with content material spreading misinformation on COVID-19.

Patreon won’t enable creators that repeatedly use unfounded or debunked theories to argue towards broadly supported public well being measures on COVID-19. Examples of this embrace repeated posts that advocate ingesting bleach or utilizing UV lights within your physique as an efficient various to a vaccine. As at all times, we’ll work with creators on to deliver their content material again inside our tips.

Within the weeks forward, Patreon will introduce fact-checking assets for posts discussing COVID-19 designed to assist creators and patrons entry trusted data. As well as, our groups will add post-level moderation instruments to deal with every state of affairs with the nuanced response it deserves.

To be clear, this coverage replace won’t influence creators making content material that debates the deserves of, or expresses skepticism round, public well being suggestions. We are going to at all times encourage the broadest dialogue doable amongst creators and their patrons. Our Belief and Security staff will work instantly with creators to make sure that their content material doesn’t include unfounded or debunked assertions on COVID-19 that will dissuade the general public from taking preventative or responsive public well being measures (like a vaccine). Should you’re a creator who’s uncertain of whether or not or not your exercise on Patreon is inside our group tips, please be happy to ship an electronic mail to us at tips@patreon.com.

Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented disruption to lives throughout the globe, we’re hopeful that we could also be turning a nook on this disaster. As international well being officers and emergency responders work to include and finish the epidemic, we’re optimistic concerning the alternatives in retailer for creators in 2021 and past. We look ahead to persevering with our work to maintain them protected and safe in a post-covid world.