The internet is increasingly becoming a leading source of health information for many Americans. According to NBC News, 80% of people who use the internet search for health information1. A Pew Research study found that of those searching online for health information, a third of those searched specifically to figure out what was wrong with them or others — whom researchers called “online diagnosers2”. With the quickness and ease of internet searches, comes the problem of the accuracy of the information.
“Online diagnosing” could lead to the patient incorrectly self-diagnosing and failing to recognize a serious or even fatal condition. A false claim for a cure may cause worsening of the condition or could possibly cause death – such as in the case of a poisonous substance ingested. A false claim that standard-of-care medical treatments are harmful, or only being prescribed for a financial benefit, could cause someone desperately needing medical care to avoid seeking care. These cases can and do happen.
Social media is a prime way for false information to be disseminated. NBC News determined the top 50 most widely read false health news articles in 2019 had more than 12 million shares, comments, and reactions on social media, primarily Facebook1. Based on the amount of activity, one could presume, these articles were widely accepted as true.
Articles from legitimate news sources with misleading headlines – sometimes referred to as “clickbait” – may cause some to only read the headline or article synopsis and form an opinion. Had they read the article itself, they may have realized the content differed from the title.
Original social media posts are another way dangerous misinformation can be spread. These posts may contain altered photos or even contain a misleading video. Some posts are “copy and paste” posts with no original author, while others may be posted in groups or in comments. Many of these posts have been found to originate from fake accounts, often called bots. Facebook has removed 1.7 billion fake accounts in the just the first quarter of 20203.
Internet searches are a great way to find reliable and reputable sources of information; but as the results of a search are computer generated, there is no guarantee that all search results are reliable and to be trusted. Therefore, it is important to be discerning with the information one finds.
How to spot misinformation
The first step in determining whether the source of information is to be trusted is to consider the source. Is the information from a reliable news source? Is the post by an individual’s account, or is it from a trustworthy organization? If the post begins, “from a friend…” or similar wording, or ends, “copy and share”, then you will not be able to determine the origin of the information, and suspicions should be aroused.
Secondly, read the entire story, not just the headline or synopsis. As previously discussed, headlines can be deliberately misleading to lure the reader to click on the article. Even mainstream news sources can be guilty of this on social media1.
Third, check if the article or post offers any sources to back up their claims⁴. Click on the sources. Do they look credible?
Fourth, look at the date of the article written. Health information in particular can be become outdated quickly. Take for the example the current COVID pandemic. A public health guideline or a quote from a health expert or government official in December may have been true at the time (or true to the best of their knowledge) but very outdated now.
Fifth, consider if the article is actually meant to be a joke. Satire is not new, but some people may mistake it for factual news if not careful⁴. Examples of popular satire websites and social media pages are (including but not limited to): The Onion, Gomer Blog, The Daily Currant, Babylon Bee, The Beaverton, and “The Borowitz Report” in The New Yorker. Satire websites and pages generally have a disclaimer on their page.
Lastly, consider using a fact-checking website such as Snopes.com, Politifact.org, or Factcheck.org to verify the claims. For images, there are image search tools you can use such as the reverse image search on Google, TinEye, Google Lens, Reversee, and Photo Sherlock⁴.
Click with caution! One careless click is all it takes for malicious software to get into devices and wreak havoc. Spelling mistakes, odd emails from popular companies, and threatening messages urging quick action are some of the telltale signs of a phishing email designed to install malware on your device. When in doubt, do not click on the link. Instead go straight to the company’s website and contact the person concerned or the customer service department to ensure such a mail was sent to you.⁵
©2022 ProCare HealthSpot
References: (1) Zadrozny, B. (2019). Social media hosted a lot of fake health news this year. Retrieved on September 3, 2020 from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/social-media-hosted-lot-fake-health-news-year-here-s-n1107466; (2) Fox, S., and Duggan, M. (2013). Health Online 2013. Retrieved on September 15, 2020 from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/01/15/health-online-2013/; (3) Statista (2020). Global number of fake accounts taken action on by Facebook from 4th quarter 2017 to 1st quarter 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020 from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1013474/facebook-fake-account-removal-quarter/; (4) Combs, V. (2020). Think before you share: Four tips and three tools for spotting a bot on social media. Retrieved September 8, 2020 from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/think-before-you-share-four-tips-and-three-tools-for-spotting-a-bot-on-social-media; (5) NortonLifeLock – 5 cyber safety tips every parent should know