"Many of the "Make America Healthy Again" movement's core ideas - from vaccine skepticism to rejecting seed oils to promoting raw milk - mirror the content health and wellness influencers push today. But there are few signs that scientists or licensed medical professionals are vetting the messages beforehand. Zoom in: For decades, public health organizations have spread their messages through TV ads, press conferences and public service campaigns."
"By the numbers: Researchers at the University of Chicago tried to quantify the proliferation of health misinformation on TikTok in a recent study. They focused on #sinustok and found that nearly half (44%) of the videos about sinusitis contained false claims - most from influencers with no medical training. Zoom out: That's just one corner of the platform. From #diabetestok to #babytok to #diettok, there's a rabbit hole for every health concern."
Many 'Make America Healthy Again' movement ideas — vaccine skepticism, rejecting seed oils, promoting raw milk — mirror content shared by health and wellness influencers. Few scientists or licensed medical professionals appear to vet those messages before dissemination. Traditional public health communication via TV and press conferences moves more slowly while social media democratizes information and leaves questions unanswered. Health influencers post routines, supplements, and parenting hacks; some include disclaimers and useful tips, while others spread half-truths or falsehoods that gain millions of views. The movement amplifies influencer reach. One study found 44% of #sinustok videos contained false claims. Platforms host wide-ranging health misinformation.
Read at Axios
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]