NEW DELHI: A recent report, Health Misinformation Vectors in India, unveiled at the Health of India Summit, highlights the alarming spread of health-related misinformation on social media, fueled by AI-driven algorithms and societal influences.
Dr J.S. Rajkumar, Founder of Lifeline group of hospitals calling it a big problem, told The New Indian, “Public needs to be really careful until strict rules are not being brought up for writing anything misleading on social media, you cannot trust anything available on the internet, first consult a health expert then only one should take such remedies.”
Prepared by Spotlight, the Data Intelligence Unit of DataLEADS, in collaboration with the global fact-checking platform First Check, the report warns of the dire consequences of misleading health narratives.
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The year-long study examined health misinformation surrounding cancer, reproductive health, vaccines, and chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Findings indicate a troubling trend of misinformation, from unverified wellness remedies to baseless cancer treatments, often amplified by social media platforms.
In sensitive areas such as reproductive health, stigma and societal pressures hinder access to accurate information, further exacerbating the issue.
Vulnerable individuals often fall prey to unverified claims, driven by desperation to seek solutions for themselves and their loved ones.
The report highlights how platform algorithms boost misleading content using localized keywords, while regulatory gaps allow such content to thrive unchecked. Dangerous misinformation about abortion practices and persistent myths, such as methods to conceive male children, further reinforce harmful societal norms.
To combat this “health infodemic,” the report proposes stricter regulations on digital health content, integrating misinformation management into public health curricula, and leveraging technology to boost health literacy. It also calls for tech platforms to enhance algorithms to prioritize credible sources and remove harmful content swiftly.
First Check, a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, has been at the forefront of the battle against health misinformation, uniting doctors, data scientists, and journalists to disseminate evidence-based information.
The report concludes by urging healthcare providers to play an active role in patient education, empowering communities with knowledge and resilience against harmful health misinformation.