Jump to content Subscribe (BUTTON) Login (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Subscribe (BUTTON) Login (BUTTON) * News + UK + World + US + UK Politics + Brexit + Tech + Science + Education + Health + Business + InFact * Independent TV * Climate + SGI + COP26 + Climate News + Climate Voices + Climate Life + InFact Climate * Sport + Football + Formula 1 + Boxing + Rugby Union + Cricket + MMA * Voices + Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade + Editorials + Letters + Shaparak Khorsandi + Mary Dejevsky + Mark Steel + Janet Street-Porter + John Rentoul + Sean O’Grady + Tom Peck * Culture + Film + Music + TV & Radio + Books + Art + Photography + Theatre & Dance + Streaming Hub + Games + Geoffrey Macnab + Clarisse Loughrey + Ed Cumming + Crosswords & puzzles * Premium + John Rentoul + Mary Dejevsky + Chris Blackhurst + Marie Le Conte * indy/life + Travel + Women + Fashion & beauty + Food & Drink + Dating & relationships + Health & fitness + Royal Family + Tech + Money + Design & home + Motoring * IndyBest + Home & garden + Kids + Books + Travel & outdoors + Fashion & Beauty + Food & Drink + Tech + Sports & Fitness + Competitions + Deals + Compare + Christmas + Boxing Day Sales * indy100 * My Independent + Most commented + Ask Me Anything + Virtual Events + Newsletters + Competitions * Vouchers + Samsung + Very + MADE + Oliver Bonas + eBay + TUI + Nike + ASOS + Footasylum + Size + AO.com + Gousto + Vodafone + Gym King + Audible + Cyber Week * Compare + Best Broadband Deals + BT Broadband Deals + Virgin Media Broadband Deals + NOW Broadband Deals + All Broadband Providers + Mobile phone deals + SIM Only Deals + iPhone Deals + Best UK Mobile Networks (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) * UK Edition * US Edition * Asia Edition * Edición en Español {{#items}} * {{#edition}}{{/edition}}{{title}}{{#children}} {{/children}} {{#children}} {{{children}}} {{/children}} {{/items}} NewsUKUK Politics Coronavirus vaccine: Labour calls for emergency censorship laws for anti-vax content Shadow culture secretary says government should ‘stamp out’ misinformation Jon Stone Policy Correspondent Sunday 15 November 2020 10:52 [spinner_on_black.gif] Comments (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Article bookmarked Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile [ ] Don't show me this message again ✕ ✕ Close Coronavirus in numbers The government should bring forward emergency legislation to “stamp out” dangerous anti-vax misinformation ahead of the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, Labour has said. The shadow culture secretary, Jo Stevens, and the shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, have written to the government warning that “our historic strength in vaccine uptake must not be taken for granted” as the prospect of a treatment for the virus looms. Keir Starmer’s shadow ministers are calling for financial and criminal penalties for social media companies that fail to censor posts promoting anti-vaccination content, which they note is rampant on those platforms. The opposition ministers say anti-vaccination groups with almost 100,000 users can be found within seconds of logging on to Facebook. An analysis by a think tank, the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, suggests that misinformation and disinformation about vaccines is also spreading on newer forms of social media, such as TikTok, where the hashtag #vaccinesaredangerous has almost 800,000 views. Recommended * Covid vaccine fraud is ‘emerging threat’ to UK, NCA says * Brexit won’t disrupt Covid vaccine delivery, government says In addition, dozens of anti-vaccination petitions have been posted on the government’s website, some with almost 200,000 signatures. “The government has a pitiful track record on taking action against online platforms that are facilitating the spread of disinformation,” said Ms Stevens. “It has been clear for years that this is a widespread and growing problem and the government knows, because Labour has been warning them for some time, that it poses a real threat to the take-up of the vaccine. “This is literally a matter of life and death, and anyone who is dissuaded from being vaccinated because of this is one person too many.” In the joint letter, the two shadow secretaries of state said that “groups flagged months ago to social media companies remain active”, despite commitments by the government and industry. Last week, social media giants agreed a package of measures with ministers to tackle anti-vaccine misinformation. Facebook, Twitter and Google promised to “step up work with public health bodies to promote factual and reliable messages” and committed to “swifter responses to flagged content”. The digital secretary, Oliver Dowden, said that “Covid disinformation is dangerous and could cost lives”, and that there was "much more that can be done" to counter it. However, the government has stopped short of saying such misinformation should necessarily be removed, instead raising the prospect that it could instead be de-monetised, given that “making money from this dangerous content would be wrong”. Imran Ahmed, a former Labour adviser who runs the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, said: “Despite big tech's promises, Google is still funding anti-vax misinformation websites by placing advertisements on them, while Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube give well-known anti-vaxxers a platform to spread dangerous conspiracy theories and lies to millions of users. World news in pictures Show all 50 1/50World news in pictures (BUTTON) World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty (BUTTON) "Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, big tech has made bold claims of intent, but failed to follow through with effective action. It is vital that there are sanctions when social media companies fail to fulfil their duty of care to users and society at large. The government must stop falling for big tech’s excuses, and introduce financial and criminal penalties for failures that lead to serious harm. “We have all done our bit to contain coronavirus. It's beyond time for social media companies and regulators to do their bit too.” Free speech campaigners however warned that the approach could be counterproductive and “push the argument underground”. “In the midst of a public health emergency ensuring that there is accurate information about treatments and vaccines is key,” Ruth Smeeth, chief executive of Index On Censorship told The Independent. "However we can’t ignore that people may challenge and push back against the scientific facts. Surely the answer isn’t to ban the anti-vaxxers but to explain why they are wrong on every available platform. "Demonstrate why the science is right rather then push the argument underground where rational argument will be lost." Register for free to continue reading Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism By registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists ____________________Email Please enter a valid email Please enter a valid email ____________________Password Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number ____________________First name Please enter your first name Special characters aren’t allowed Please enter a name between 1 and 40 characters ____________________Last name Please enter your last name Special characters aren’t allowed Please enter a name between 1 and 40 characters [Select your year of birth] You must be over 18 years old to register You must be over 18 years old to register Year of birth [ ] I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Opt-out-policy You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. Each email has a link to unsubscribe. {{userRef}}_________ {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} (BUTTON) Register (BUTTON) I'll try later Already have an account? sign in By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of service apply. More about coronavirus vaccinemisinformationLabourJonathan AshworthJo Stevens Join our new commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies [spinner_on_white.gif] Comments 1/1Labour calls for emergency censorship laws for anti-vax content (BUTTON) Labour calls for emergency censorship laws for anti-vax content Misinformation about vaccination has become widespread on social media Getty Images (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ✕ Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. (BUTTON) Subscribe Already subscribed? Log in Most popular Popular videos Trending Featured Sponsored Features Voucher Codes Very Discount Code Extra 20% off all sale items at Very Booking Com Discounts Early 2022 savings: 15% or more Booking.com discount for New Year Debenhams Discount Code Only £2 for delivery with this Debenhams discount code ao.com Discount Code 25% off coffee machines, tumble dryers & microwaves: ao discount 2021 MADE Discount Codes £30 off £300+ orders - MADE discount code (BUTTON) * Get in touch + Contact us + Jobs + * Our Products + Subscribe + Register + Newsletters + Donate + Install our apps + Archive * Other publications + International editions + Independent en Español + Independent Arabia + Independent Turkish + Independent Persian + Independent Urdu + Evening Standard + Novaya Gazeta * Extras + All topics + Voucher codes + Compare + Independent Advertising + Syndication + Working at The Independent * Legal + Code of conduct and complaints + Contributors + Cookie policy + Donations Terms & Conditions + Privacy notice + Privacy settings + User policies + Modern Slavery Act Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ✕ Log in ____________________Email address ____________________Password Email and password don't match [ ] Keep me logged in (BUTTON) Submit Forgotten your password? New to The Independent? Register Or if you would prefer: (BUTTON) SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE Want an ad-free experience? View offers This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply. Hi {{indy.fullName}} * My Independent Premium * Account details * Help centre * Logout IFRAME: https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5XT7NPD