America is awash in disinformation on topics ranging from politics and business to science and healthcare. Last month, a highly educated friend sent me a text message that alarmed him. Upon reading it, I immediately suspected that it was a hoax.
Here are some of the red flags:
- The message claims to be a “CDC Advisory,” but the logo is wrong. Also, federal agencies don’t issue headlines with multiple exclamation marks.
- Referring to the virus as a “COVID-Omicron XBB” variant and comparing its effects to the earlier Delta variant provide a veneer of credibility, but the illusion is wrecked by typographical errors, nonsensical clinical effects and odd guidance.
- The message’s alarming tone and insistence that it should be widely shared are hallmarks of disinformation.
To confirm my suspicion, I checked the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization. I also looked at three respected news outlets: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post. None mentioned the emergence of a new and highly lethal variant. With this added assurance, I notified my friend. He was grateful for the information.
Soon thereafter, Verify, a website dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information, reported that the message is recycled disinformation that has been circulating on the web since the fall of 2022.
Clues That A Story Or Commentary Is Disinformation
Unfortunately, many of us fail to question the validity of a provocative story or social media post before sharing it with others. Spreading disinformation — even if done unintentionally — harms the public and undermines trust.
Some deceptive messages, like the one I received, are relatively easy to spot. Others are more difficult. Medline Plus, a service of the National Library of Medicine, has a helpful article on evaluating health information. Here are a few of its tips. Whenever you encounter a concerning or suspicious post, ask yourself:
Who runs the website? Can you trust the organization to provide balanced, accurate information? Trustworthy sites offer a way to contact the owners with questions or feedback.
What is the website’s purpose? Is it to inform the public, sell products or services, or promote a person’s or group’s opinions? The website’s URL often gives a clue: A .gov address signifies a U.S. government agency; .edu indicates its from a university, college or school; .org means it’s a nonprofit (such as an academic health system, medical school, professional society or advocacy group); and .com is used by for-profit entities such as drug companies.
Is the health information high quality? Ideally, health information should provide balanced facts, based on up-to-date research. Beware of phrases intended to “hook” you, such as dramatic writing, polarizing language or the promise of a miracle cure. These are often signs of a health fraud scam or other forms of disinformation.
What about social media? As my opening example shows, receiving a post or text from a friend or family member doesn’t ensure it’s true. They may be unwittingly spreading disinformation. Use trustworthy sources to fact-check dubious claims. If you cannot confirm a post is true, don’t share it with others.
Reliable Sources of Health Information
Health professionals and the public can depend on high-integrity sources that are regularly updated, such as the NIH, the NLM, and the CDC. Well regarded health systems like the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic also provide patient information. So do many medical schools and professional societies, including the American College of Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
If still in doubt, you should consult your personal physician, nurse, or another health professional that you trust. A private face-to-face conversation is best, but a virtual visit or phone call will do if an office visit is not feasible.
Dealing with Media Bias
Media bias is as old as the United States. However, from 1880 to 1980, the news media tended to become less partisan as a growing number of newspapers built a wall of separation between their journalists (who report the news) and their editorial page staff (who write opinions and commentary).
In the early 1980s, the line began to blur again with the emergence of talk radio and cable news. Some media companies realized they they could build large audiences by mixing news with commentary aimed at appealing to particular points of view.
The rise of social media in the early 2000s accelerated this trend. The algorithms social media platforms employ discern each user’s opinions and preferences and use the data to feed increasingly engaging content intended to grab and sustain the user’s attention and generate more “clicks.” In addition to growing revenue and and attracting “content creators” eager to grow their number of followers; this approach provides fertile ground for purveyors of disinformation. Now the growing capacity of AI to produce realistic-looking “deep fakes” is making it more difficult than ever to distinguish truth from lies.
Ultimately, It’s Up To Us
It won’t be easy to reverse these social and technological trends. As the use of disinformation has become politicized, the line between “free speech” and the deliberate promulgation of lies is no longer clear. During the COVID-19 pandemic, disinformation convinced tens of millions of Americans to reject long-respected sources of health information and instead, turn to individuals and organizations that opposed vaccination, advocated ineffective treatments, and reinforced political views. In the hyper-polarized environment that exists today, it’s not clear what can be done to restore trust.
Francis Collins, former director of the NIH, recently wrote: “We are in serious trouble when some believe that their faith requires them to distrust science, or when others believe that political allegiances are a better source of wisdom than truth, faith or science…In many aspects of our daily lives, the anchor to objective truth seems to have been lost.”
Everyone needs a basic level of health literacy to protect their wellbeing and the health of those they love. Prudent shoppers do their homework before they make major purchases. We should do the same before we make important health decisions.
