AHA News: 5 Questions to Ask Before Sharing Health Stories on Social Media

Experts say that’s an essential step in battling medical misinformation, an escalating problem as more people turn to social media for news, knowledge and advice about all things health-related.

In the wake of rampant false information about COVID-19, the U.S. surgeon general’s office released an advisory last year titled “Confronting Health Misinformation.” The 22-page report singled out social media for rewarding “engagement rather than accuracy” and quoted one study that found false news stories were 70% more likely to...