In the digital age, social media platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) are increasingly used to seek health-related information. In this process, a decisive role is played by social media algorithms, which purposefully provide users with content compatible with their interests and views, thereby limiting the visibility of alternative information. At the same time, the deficit of regulations and the “infinite scrolling” feature further increase the risk of spreading misinformation in the digital space.
According to the definition of international organizations, including the United Nations (UN), misinformation is false or misleading information that is deliberately created and spread for the purpose of manipulating, deceiving, or obtaining political and economic benefits. However, in the information space, one often encounters content that—due to the absence of scientific evidence—relies solely on individual experience or subjective observations and is spread without prior harmful intent.
Modern research shows that a significant portion of health-related content (up to 80% according to some data) contains false information. Moreover, according to other studies, such content is much more popular than verified medical facts.
The spread of health-related misinformation is directly linked to such harmful consequences as the encouragement of incorrect behavior, stigmatization, discrimination, and the intensification of psychological stress during crises or pandemics.
To study this problem, scientists from the University of Cambridge, together with scientists from partner research centers, conducted a large-scale study and published a systematic review in the journal Journal of Social Media Research titled: “Quality, Reliability, and Misinformation in Online Content on Mental Health and Neurodiversity.” For the purpose of scientific analysis and clinical evaluation, the scientists examined 5,057 individual posts published on social media.
According to the study results, the share of false information ranged from 0% to 56.92%. The maximum rate of misinformation (56.92%) was recorded on YouTube, in MRI-claustrophobia videos, while the minimum (0%) was on YouTube Kids, in anxiety and depression content. Generally, the average level of misinformation on TikTok was found to be higher than on YouTube, which is explained by the specifics of the format and less moderation.
Content on autism and ADHD proved to be particularly vulnerable: the share of false data reached 41% in TikTok videos created about autism, while in the case of ADHD, it ranged from 38.6% to 52%. By comparison, the level of misinformation on other mental health issues was low or medium (e.g., schizophrenia on X — 18.76%). This difference may be due to the fact that neurodiversity is often discussed in a non-medical context on social media, and the substance of the content is less verified by specialists.
The obtained results demonstrate the need for a multifaceted intervention: on one hand, the active involvement of health sector specialists is essential to create evidence-based online content. On the other hand, social media platforms must strengthen content moderation and implement unified standards for identifying misinformation.
Furthermore, to better assess the global scale of misinformation, it is important to use standardized methodologies and multilingual data in future research. Thus, ensuring access to reliable information about mental health in the digital age represents a critical prerequisite for protecting public health interests.
Source: researchgate.net
