Health Misinformation and Disinformation: How to Recognize and Avoid It

In today's digital world, content spreads quickly-and so does misinformation, especially when it comes to health. With the rapid sharing culture of social media and a lack of strong regulation, false or misleading health information often circulates widely. But why are we so prone to believing it? And how can we spot misleading claims and correct our misconceptions?


Thanks to the internet, we can access almost any information in seconds. While this offers many benefits, it also exposes us to unverified and unreliable content, particularly in the health space.

A 2024 report from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) points to growing concern among communication experts, particularly regarding the influence of social media platform owners. These platforms frequently promote content without strict oversight, which increases the risk of misinformation and disinformation being widely shared.

Health content online is everywhere-from videos and articles to personal stories. But without proper fact-checking or accountability, there's a real danger that some of it is inaccurate or deliberately deceptive.

Misinformation refers to false or misleading information shared unintentionally. This may happen due to a misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or someone unknowingly spreading incorrect details.

Disinformation, however, is deliberately false content created and shared to mislead or manipulate people, often for political, financial, or ideological reasons.

In this episode of In Conversation, we explore how and why health misinformation and disinformation spread. We discuss how people can better identify misleading content and what it takes to change beliefs when they've been based on incorrect information.

Our guest, Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, PhD, Chair in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Bristol and Project Lead of PRODEMINFO at Potsdam University, shares his insights. He is a cognitive scientist with expertise in how misinformation spreads, why it lingers, and how individuals update their beliefs once they learn the truth.

We also hear from Dr. Jenny Yu, MD, FACS, Chief Health Officer at RVO Health, the parent company of Medical News Today and Healthline. Dr. Yu offers helpful strategies for finding accurate, trustworthy health information and avoiding common online pitfalls.