“If you’re not sure, don’t share.”
That’s the message of the U.S. surgeon general, who officially entered the battle against medical misinformation with the release this week of a new brochure that warns against getting medical advice from memes.
The Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation contains a checklist of commonly misrepresented facts and an outline of what types of misinformation one might encounter online. Additionally, it features advice on how to talk with your loved ones about medical issues and testimonials from some who have been misled by online sources.
“With the authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 to 11 years old, it is more important than ever that families have access to accurate, science-based information. Health misinformation is spreading fast and far online and throughout our communities," Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in a press release Tuesday. "The good news is that we all have the power to help stop the spread of health misinformation during this pandemic and beyond. That’s where this toolkit comes in – to provide Americans with resources to help limit and reduce this threat to public health.”
The brochure identifies the ways misinformation can easily be spread, including memes, fake websites, edited videos and “cherry-picked statistics” that “lack context.”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, health misinformation and disinformation (misinformation that is spread intentionally to serve a malicious purpose) have threatened the U.S. response to COVID-19 and continue to prevent Americans from getting vaccinated, prolonging the pandemic and putting lives at risk," the press release said.
The brochure encourages people to check any claims they read online with the CDC website or with a health-care professional they trust before spreading what could be misinformation further.
Related
