Facebook adds health support groups with anonymous publication

In a rare break with the tradition of Facebook that forces users to post under their real name, the company will let people anonymously post confidential health information about Facebook groups, the company said on Tuesday.

Specifically, users will be able to send publications to administrators of these groups, many of whom are secret or closed, to ask questions on their behalf. It also separates groups devoted to health problems with a special designation "support to health".

The changes could help people feel more confident by posting in these groups, which are often sponsored or supported by pharmaceutical companies. Ensuring that these groups are active and dynamic could help Facebook as it is increasingly appealing to health care companies and pharmaceutical companies for advertising.

Facebook has been the subject of much criticism in recent years regarding its use and sharing of information from its users. With regard to health care, the company made mistakes such as allowing marketers to collect private group contact information and delete photos of breast cancer survivors' mastectomies after mistakenly identifying them like pornography.

Facebook acknowledges that he has not solved all these problems, even though he hopes to help members of these groups.

Hema Budaraju, director of health products management at Facebook, told CNBC that the company is conducting "in-depth research" to understand the needs of patients using Facebook.

"We think the time has come for us to be even more responsible in creating tools to better serve this audience," she said. "We will seek to know more about this space."

Budaraju, who is also working on Facebook's blood donation function, pointed out that Facebook's work was not over. The company still has some way to go to manage health misinformation, which continues to spread despite recent efforts and to moderate content so that users with serious illnesses are not marketed with treatments that are unhelpful. snake oil.

Facebook's recent privacy scandals have not pushed patients to leave the site.

Wego Health, a company that connects influential patients with healthcare companies, surveyed more than 400 patients earlier this year and found that 98% of them still use Facebook, 94% are part of a health-related group on Facebook and only 3% deleted their account due to confidentiality issues. The authors of the report concluded that for many patients, Facebook is too essential to be deleted.

Ashley M. Greiner, a lawyer with congestive heart failure, is working with Facebook on the new feature. Greiner's group intended for other patients is closed, which means that a process of approval is required. Some of its members are very active, while others only absorb information. Greiner does not invite doctors or other health professionals into the group, which will represent a secure space for members. She is also keen to avoid any post that commercializes potential treatments or cures.

Greiner asked Facebook to facilitate the anonymous publication of its 1,600 members, but the company insisted that users publish with their real names (with a few exceptions). Greiner said he was able to get in touch with Facebook's health team after being referred by another person in the group, who had found a job at Facebook.

"I have members who want to ask questions, and they do not want to offend anyone, or they simply do not want their spouse or their caregiver to see it," she said. "The anonymous posting is a big step forward to improve support groups."

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