As more and more people are lining up to get the COVID-19 jab, Facebook is hoping its new profile frames will encourage others to do the same.

Facebook's Profile Frames Show Support for COVID-19 Vaccines

Facebook has partnered with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to roll out profile frames that show support for getting vaccinated. The platform showcased the two designs in a post on the About Facebook blog.

Both frames show a half-moon-shaped chunk of text along the side of your profile icon, with the phrase: "I got my COVID vaccine" or "Let's get vaccinated." They also contain a small graphic of the US map, overlayed by the words: "We can do this." Frames with a Spanish translation of the same text are available as well.

COVID-19 vaccine frame examples
Image Credit: Facebook

Facebook notes that the frames will "let you share your support for COVID-19 vaccines and see that others you respect and care about are doing the same." The platform also plans on compiling a list of friends, family members, and people you follow who are using the frame, and will then display that list on your News Feed.

Facebook previously partnered with the National Health Services (NHS) to launch vaccine-related profile frames in the UK, and has seen a high adoption rate. According to Facebook, "a quarter of people on Facebook in the UK have already seen a friend or family member use the NHS COVID-19 vaccine profile frame."

Facebook likely hopes to see the same type of success in the US, as these frames may play a part in encouraging more people to get the vaccine. In its blog post, Facebook cites a research study that links social norms to higher vaccination rates. In other words, when someone sees that a family member or friend got the vaccine, it's likely that they'll feel more comfortable getting one as well.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Facebook has continually pushed users toward credible information about the illness and has even started helping Americans make appointments to get vaccinated. It has also worked towards removing misinformation, both about the vaccine and the virus itself.

Facebook Leverages Its Power to Make a Difference

Some may argue that large social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have a "civic duty" to push their userbase towards making the right decisions. This just shows how powerful social media is, and how it can be leveraged to influence people on a massive scale.