Fake news in healthcare: how to fight misinformation

From misinformation to nutritional terrorism, the volume of false information on social media is extremely dangerous

False information, fake news, spreads rapidly on social media. Although they are harmful in all areas, in the healthcare sector they are even more dangerous.

“Fake news has become a problem with public health implications. False information about treatments, medications, diseases, or prevention measures can lead people to make decisions that are harmful to their health, such as not getting vaccinated, believing that such foods can prevent a disease, or even excluding nutrients from their diet based on misinformation.” , explains journalist Maria Alice Amoroso Nunes, director of Holding Comunicações, a press office specialized in Health and Beauty for 30 years.

“On social media, bad advice on pathologies leads to the search for treatments and medicines without scientific support, based on information from influencers who often have no experience or do not mention the risks associated with their products or advice on natural recipes,” adds the journalist .

“When a doctor has a press office, he can disprove this information and increase the level of health education for the general population,” says Maria Alice.

Bombing on TikTok and Instagram

On social media platforms with short videos, like TikTok or Instagram Reels, there is a barrage of misinformation. Scientific studies have already demonstrated the power of misinformation: researchers from Ohio State University evaluated 430 popular TikTok posts about gynecologic cancer and found that at least 73% were inaccurate or of poor educational quality. According to the researchers, the videos advertised fake treatments, such as “vaginal steaming.”

On a Recent work from Oxford (“Social Media Users’ Perceptions of Health Mistakes and Misinformation on Social Media”), researchers highlighted that, of 3,841 adult respondents, more than 2/3 (67%) of participants reported that they were not able to evaluate information on social media as true or false. The study also suggests that doctors have more data to combat false information on the Internet.

“In this context it is essential to ask for help from a specialized press office. Traditional online and offline media, such as newspapers, magazines and portals, can facilitate the search for serious and scientifically supported information. An effective and specialized press office can help build and maintain a doctor’s reputation, ensuring that the information disseminated is accurate and based on solid scientific evidence”, states the director of Holding Comunicações.

The press office specialized in the health sector also plays an important role in educating and raising public awareness on health issues. “This includes not only providing accurate information about diseases and treatments, but also promoting healthy lifestyles, prevention measures and access to healthcare,” explains Maria Alice.

Information terrorism

The strategy of creating fake news or focusing on the production of captivating content, promoting true information terrorism, has as its main objective the search for greater engagement on social networks. Since the algorithm “rewards” posts with the most interaction, regardless of agreement or disagreement with the central topic posted, the idea is to look for a way to get more comments into the controversy.

“We also cannot fail to underline the very common goal of obtaining economic benefits through the sale of courses or the revenue generated by clicks and views. With sensational and eye-catching headlines, fake news often increases traffic to websites and blogs, generating revenue through online advertising,” underlines Maria Alice.

“It is important to remember that even ‘fake news’ is spread without malicious intent. Some people share false information without verifying its veracity or the source from which it was obtained,” he points out.

In the healthcare sector, food is a common victim of fake news. Through conflicting information, many foods are promoted as heroes, while others are seen as villains, which can cause nutritional deficiencies and disease. “Therefore it is important to always be aware of where the information comes from and verify its veracity before sharing it,” adds Maria Alice.

Debunking misinformation

According to the director of Holding Comunicações, one of the main functions of the press office is to guarantee the accuracy and truthfulness of the information disseminated about a company, an organization or a public figure.

“By actively monitoring social media and other media platforms, the advisory team can quickly identify false or inaccurate information and respond with corrections and clarifications. Because in the digital age, information can spread quickly through social media and other online platforms, this means it is critical to respond quickly to false or inaccurate health news before it goes viral and causes harm,” says Maria Alice.

Since one of the most effective ways to verify the veracity of a news story is to verify the source and whether the story was published by a well-known and reliable news outlet, relationships with the specialized health press can help build a solid medical reputation.

“Patients see doctors consulted for serious press articles with greater trust and credibility,” he underlines. “By maintaining strong relationships with journalists and media outlets, the press office can work with the media to highlight the truth and debunk falsehoods circulating on social media, providing a quick and educational response.”

Watch the video with comments from Guilherme Zanette, press officer of Holding Comunicações.

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Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.