How can you spot medical misinformation on social media?

Social media greatly increases the accessibility of global news. However, this can mean that inaccurate and harmful information is spread, leading to adverse effects on society.

Medical misinformation, which is health information that is factually and scientifically incorrect, can cause harm, such as delaying a person from choosing to have proper treatment, leading them to partake in remedies that have no scientific or professional backing, following toxic treatment or health trends, and causing physical or mental distress.

It is essential to learn how to identify medical misinformation, such as determining whether to trust a source or understanding whether a headline or article accurately represents a scientific or medical study.

Recent research the nonprofit KFF conducted found that 8 in 10 adults have likely encountered at least one false health-related statement online due to misinformation. Social media means news is available 24/7 at the touch of a button, and can appear as convincing, authoritative, and apparently from professional sources.

However, false medical information and news can cause harm, particularly if people are unaware of how to identify a reputable source or spot misinformation. People may try to make sense of an influx of information and miss signs of verification.

When disease outbreaks occur, they can cause an influx of misinformation, known as an “infodemic.” False information can mix with the truth, causing people to become confused or lack confidence in what to actually believe.

Learning how to identify medical misinformation is crucial to avoiding potential adverse effects. Some ways to spot it include the following:

Reliable and trustworthy online medical information stemming from scientific research should mainly come from:

It is important not to take headlines that may be deliberately scandalous or sensational to draw in an audience and attention at face value.

Ensure that an author is not deliberately exaggerating or selectively presenting certain aspects of information without considering the broader context. For example, medical misinformation may present information out of context.

Do not hesitate to ask a healthcare professional about the information you find online.

Consider not only possible author bias but also personal bias. Social media algorithms may reflect biases, showing a person what they think they want to see, such as information that aligns with personal beliefs but is not real, scientifically reviewed, or trustworthy.

It is important not to let personal perspectives cloud how a person receives factual and medically verified information.

Some information found on social media can be out of date, use outdated sources, or recent research may have disproven some of the claims.

Ensure that the information a person reads is up to date and still relevant.

Learning to spot harmful medical misinformation is the first step in protecting public and individual health, helping people avoid dangerous treatments, and preventing delays in proper, professional care. The second step involves combating it, not only online but also in person.

“Medical misinformation is especially dangerous because it often preys on people who are already vulnerable, like those who are living with chronic illness, pain, or provoking fear. It has become even more dangerous, as it rarely appears as obviously fake nowadays.

“It often appears in high quality productions, featuring people who appear professional, wrapped in emotionally compelling stories. Many of these individuals are more concerned with generating views and revenue than providing safe, evidence-based information. That’s what makes misinformation so difficult to spot today.

“I’ve seen this firsthand with my own grandmother, who suffers from daily arthritic pain. She has sent me YouTube videos to verify information or get my opinion. Sometimes they’re easy to spot as misinformation, but at other times, I can understand why she might believe them. In one instance, a man presented himself as a medical professional, claiming he had a simple solution that would “cure” her arthritic pain. For someone in pain every day, that promise was understandably appealing. After watching the video, I walked her through why it wasn’t credible.

But not everyone has a medical professional in their family. For others, misinformation leads people to spend money on ineffective or even harmful products or to stop treatments prescribed by their provider. Both action and inaction brought on by misinformation can have serious health consequences.”

People may not mean to spread medical misinformation to cause harm. They may genuinely believe it is factual and accurate, or they may trust the source as a legitimate authority.

A 2025 study examining the effect of health misinformation on the general public found that the spread of medical misinformation through social media platforms caused a variety of negative effects, such as:

Misleading or incorrect medical information can put people’s health and lives at risk. For example, people may avoid getting lifesaving vaccines due to misinformation, follow dangerous health trends, or follow toxic alternative treatments.

It is essential to distinguish between disinformation and misinformation. Misinformation presents facts or truth inaccurately; this is usually not deliberate and may stem from a person who does not realize that the information is incorrect.

Disinformation is news or information that is deliberately false and spread with an underlying agenda. It is deliberately intended to mislead, with reasons such as:

“There are ways to help spot misinformation. If someone claims to be a licensed medical professional, you should be able to easily look up their license or their practice. If you can’t, that’s a red flag.

“In medicine, nothing is 100%. If someone is promising a “cure” for something that no other doctor can guarantee results, it’s almost always misinformation. Content that uses fear, shame, or urgency is designed to bypass your critical thinking. It’s pulling on your human heartstrings, so your brain can’t do its job.

“And lastly, double-check the science. Look toward more credible sources to verify if what you are reading or watching is true. Gaining access to peer-reviewed medical journals online is often free and easier to understand, thanks to helpful summary tools that utilize AI.

“Spotting misinformation requires a balance of healthy skepticism and knowing where to look for credible information.”

Medical misinformation can spread quickly across social media, causing a variety of negative effects on public health, such as putting people’s lives at risk.

People may avoid getting lifesaving vaccines or follow toxic alternative treatments they read about online rather than getting medical and professional help.

Learning to spot medical misinformation is vital to ensure the public’s health is protected. Spotting misinformation involves recognizing unreliable, nonprofessional sources, reading beyond sensationalized headlines, and considering not only personal biases but also potential biases from websites and authors.