It’s no surprise that there is a lot of false information (misinformation) circulating social media. When we think about misinformation, we usually think about unreliable or biased news outlets. But there is a lot of health-related misinformation on social media too.
Most misinformation is not spread deliberately or maliciously. It is usually information that is based on anecdotal evidence, which may come from what someone has been told or what they think, but they have no data or scientific evidence to support it. The greatest source of misinformation occurs on social media when people share posts they don’t realize are false (Suarez-Lledo & Alvarez-Galvez, 2021).
How well can you recognize misinformation?
In a recent study, 96% of high school students were not able to decipher truth from misinformation on social media and news sources. 74% of adults were not able to recognize misinformation! And senior citizens were most likely to be victims of misinformation (Miller, 2021).
Misinformation can come in many forms. Just today I received an email about how eight superfoods were going to change my life! Of course, there are great health benefits from many foods we eat, but change my life? Doubtful.
How do we decipher truth from untruth? How do we know if that cereal is really “heart healthy” or if cow’s milk really is good for our bones (There’s research that may indicate otherwise!).
How do we protect ourselves and our families from misinformation?
The first step to battling misinformation is to know where it comes from. If the source of the information is not referenced, it’s best to assume it may be false. If there is a source referenced, make sure it is reputable. A reputable source is one that is non-biased and supports what is said or written with evidence (like the research I cite in several areas of this blog). The information should also come from an author or organization that is trustworthy.
A great tool to decipher between truth and untruth is the CRAAP test. It was developed by California State University and is an acronym that can help you remember how to identify credible information (George, 2022).
Ask yourself these questions as you use the CRAAP test:
C - Currency: Is it recent (current) information?
R – Relevance: Is the source/author relevant to the information? (For example, an auto company shouldn’t be reporting on a nutrition subject.)
A – Authority: Who is the author? Are they an expert in the field? Are they educated in the field they are writing about, and are they reputable and trustworthy?
A – Accuracy: Is the information supported by evidence? If so, the source should be referenced.
P – Purpose: What is the motive to publish this information? Keep in mind that if they are marketing a product, there could be misleading or missing information; their primary goal is to sell it!
Next time you read something about nutrition, health, or anything else, make sure it passes the CRAAP test!
There are other ways you can improve your news and health literacy skills too.
Checkology | The News Literacy Project (2023) is a free e-learning experience that engages learners in fun lessons to learn how to identify credible information and decipher facts from fiction. The focus of these exercises is on news literacy and how to think critically about what we read, but the skills learned can also be applied to things we hear or read about health and nutrition in the news and on social media. Click on the link to learn more!
Below are some great places to start when searching for reputable sources or verifying information:
Websites with .edu or .org domains
Peer-reviewed articles and journals
Research oriented magazines or journals
Textbooks or Encyclopedias
Unbiased news sources with firsthand reporting. Check out this link if you’re unsure about bias from your news: Media Bias Chart | AllSides
Home of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - health.gov
Always keep in mind that one scholarly source or peer-reviewed article does not necessarily make it so. Make sure there are additional sources that support what you have found.
Happy informed reading! And please, surf the web safely!
Feel free to share your experience deciphering truth from misinformation in the comments.
Resources
George, T. (2022, December 7). What are credible sources & how to spot them: Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/credible-sources/
Miller, A. (2021, May 17). News literacy programs teach students how to spot online misinformation [Interview, Video]. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/how-schools-are-helping-students-fight-against-misinformation-112095813873
Suarez-Lledo V, Alvarez-Galvez J. (2021, January 20). Prevalence of health misinformation on social media: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 23(1), e17187. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7857950/
The News Literacy Project. (2023). Become news-literate with Checkology. The News Literacy Project: Checkology. https://get.checkology.org
I love the CRAAP test! Great information