World Backup Day Deals Best Cloud Storage Options Apple AR/VR Headset Uncertainty Samsung Galaxy A54 Preorders iOS 16.4: What's New 10 Best Foods for PCOS 25 Easter Basket Ideas COVID Reinfection: What to Know
Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
No, thank you
Accept

Facebook launches coronavirus fact-checker for WhatsApp users in Italy

The service lets users run content from the messaging service through a fact-checking tool to see if it's legit.

whatsapp-logo-2
Angela Lang/CNET
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

Italy is ground zero for the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, and Facebook's messaging platform WhatsApp is the country's most popular messaging platform. On Thursday, Facebook launched a new tool for its Italian WhatsApp users that lets them verify the authenticity of any coronavirus-related content they might come across.

It's all part of ongoing efforts to combat the spread of misinformation, Facebook tells Reuters, and it follows the establishment of WhatsApp's Coronavirus Information Hub in March, an effort to make verified information about the pandemic available to WhatsApp users. Now, Italians can also forward the content they come across to the fact-checking service Facta for analysis.

Facebook didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Now playing: Watch this: How to volunteer from home during the coronavirus pandemic
4:04

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.