Time Magazine: Facebook Should Censor Anti-Vaxxers

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-censorship-warning-sign-illustration-design-image26533865Facebook often finds itself in hot water with the media over its censorship practices. However, one editor at Time Magazine is actually calling on Facebook to censor more of its users in order to help combat the growing anti-vaccination movement.

Through one of Mark Zuckerberg’s recent online book club choices, the Facebook founder and CEO came out strongly in favor of parents vaccinating their children. However, a growing number of people do not believe in the health benefits of vaccines, and a number of preventable diseases like measles and mumps are coming back in the United States as a result. That’s why Jeffrey Kluger, Editor at Large for Time, published a controversial column in the magazine calling on Zuckerberg to back up his thoughts on public safety and actually ban anti-vaccination content from Facebook.

“The very idea of muzzling any information—even misinformation—will surely send libertarians to their fainting couches,” Kluger wrote. “Similarly, people who believe they understand the Constitution but actually don’t will immediately invoke the First Amendment. But of course they’re misguided. Is Facebook a government agency? No, it’s not. Is Zuckerberg a government official? No, he’s not. Then this is not a First Amendment issue.”

Kluger points out that Facebook is dedicated to protecting public safety, and spreading “bogus medical information” could count as a threat to people.

Readers: Do you agree with Kluger? What responsibility does Facebook have to protect citizens by censoring its content?