from the editor
Public Health and the Battle Against Misinformation
Perhaps as damaging as COVID-19 itself is the plethora of misinformation that social media and the mainstream media are capable of promulgating . While healthcare practitioners rely on the medical literature as well as best-practice guidelines and recommendations , members of the general public likely depend on sources that have agendas that have become politicized and weaponized .
Merchant , et al . ( 2021 ) explore four strategies to advance public health messaging during this and future public health emergencies : deploying countermeasures for misinformation , surveillance of digital data to inform messaging , partnering with trusted messengers , and promoting equity through messaging .
As the researchers acknowledge , “ Misinformation is a serious threat to public health , especially during pandemics . Misinformation has likely accelerated the spread of COVID-19 by fragmenting and influencing the response to prevention strategies like wearing a mask and physical distancing . Misinformation has emerged about nearly every aspect of the pandemic , including the origins of the virus ( e . g ., it was manufactured in a laboratory ), treatments ( e . g ., bleach , alcohol ), and vaccine safety ( e . g ., vaccines include embedded microchips ). Misinformation is very difficult to correct because it is massive in volume , contagious , and can appear to come from trusted social networks . Because misinformation is not labeled , distinguishing it from credible information can be increasingly difficult , particularly when highly politicized and opposing views are categorized as fake news .”
Recent research is informing the development of approaches to counteract misinformation . Prior studies support a “ find and replace ” approach that includes posting timely corrections about what is false and why and frequently reiterating accurate information . As Merchant , et al .
( 2021 ) explain , “ The vaccine hesitancy literature also suggests the importance of understanding the origin of rumors and false information . This approach can help to understand the concerns and ideologies that can inform development of thoughtful and responsive countermeasures . Because each social media platform has different features and users , the strategies that public health organizations use to address misinformation should also be distinct and responsive to the nuances of each site . A study of 8 million posts about COVID-19 on 5 social media platforms ( Twitter , Instagram , YouTube , Reddit , and Gab ) demonstrated variability in both the content of accurate and inaccurate information and ways in which it spread across each site . Sites varied in the volume of COVID-19 – related messages about topics like cures , therapies , and protection advice ; for example , Reddit limited the influence of questionable sources , whereas Gab increased the diffusion of questionable sources .”
The researchers emphasize the need for trusted parties to align to advance the public health agenda : “ Individuals often rely on information that is passed along from people they know and respect . Community organizers and political campaign strategists invest in identifying individuals embedded in communities to help spread important information to their friends and neighbors . Similarly , public health organizations should partner with community influencers ( e . g ., community health workers , religious leaders ) who can help with propagating trustworthy messages and dismantling false ones through online channels . In the case of vaccine campaigns , trusted messengers are often engaged to disseminate information about vaccine safety .”
Until next month , bust those bugs !
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Reference : Merchant RM , South EC and Lurie N . Public Health Messaging in an Era of Social Media . JAMA . Published online Jan . 4 , 2021 . doi : 10.1001 / jama . 2020.24514