Zuckerberg sparks vaccination debate

Mark Zuckerberg at the doctor with his daughter Max, waiting to be vaccinated. Photo / Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook page is quickly becoming a collection of feel-good family moments - peppered with Oculus Rift promotions.

The Facebook chief executive has become a stay-at-home dad to daughter Max, his profile page reflecting his new-found joy in fatherhood as he shares his baby's milestones.

The latest of these was a trip to the doctor last week for wee Max, dressed in a colourful hooded onesie, to get vaccination shots.

But this latest post incurred much more than a string of "aww"s from Zuckerberg followers.

Collecting over 74,000 comments, it was quickly flagged as an expression of support for vaccinating by the social media billionaire.

Anti-vaccination crusaders shared enraged comments such as: "Vaccine is poison for human kind. It kills more people than it helps. I wish people don't take it as an example here."

Another wrote: "I am sorry to see you unnecessarily putting your kid at risk by responding to faux science and propaganda."

One user suggested Zuckerberg hadn't actually gone through with the vaccination, commenting: "Any of you ever read the inserts on vaccines? The ingredients? I didn't think so. Zuckerberg has, and I'd bet the farm, that he has no intention of vaccinating and dumbing down his child. However, what he, Bill Gates, and other elites, wants [sic] for your children, and a whole generation, is much, much different than what they want [for] their own kids. It saddens me you people can't see how blatant this post is."

In February last year, Zuckerberg indeed posted about a book he was reading on the topic.

Almost a year later, he's signed up to go ahead with vaccinating his daughter, a move many of his followers applauded.

""Thanks for protecting your child, and other children who can't be vaccinated, and for supporting science!", wrote one user.

"What a little cutie!! Thanks for taking care of your baby (and other peoples' babies!)", echoed another.

- nzherald.co.nz