Misinformation: False information that is spread regardless of whether there is intent to mislead.Â
The World Health Organization has declared vaccine hesitancy a top global threat. One of the most prominent things fueling the hesitancy is misinformation.Â
Social media platforms are increasingly becoming the primary source of information for people, leading to a further increase in vaccine hesitancy.Â
A study by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that people who rely on social media for information were more likely to be misinformed about vaccines than those who use traditional media. Researchers report that if current social media trends continue, anti-vaccine views will dominate the online discussion in less than ten years.Â
We need to mobilize to fight dangerous vaccine misinformation with facts.
Enter Stronger, a national campaign advocating for science and vaccines while fighting misinformation. Stronger shares these three easy tips that you can take to help stop the spread of misinformation.
- Block, ban or hide posts from your feed.
- Report misinformation when you see it. (WHO published a guide with instructions for how to report on each platform. Or, you can email it to the team at Stronger, and they’ll report it for you.)
- Leave a comment on the post to warn others that the information is false.Â
It’s crucial now more than ever that we are proactive in spreading the facts about immunizations and their success stories while stopping the spread of misinformation.Â
- Post factual information and answer questions clearly and honestly.
- Use compelling and straightforward language.
- Keep exchanges polite.
For more social media tips, click here to read our guide to sharing content responsibly.Â