ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Concerned About Medical Misinformation Online? Here are Red Flags to Watch out for

As per a new survey by KFF, 45% of adults said that they have either heard to believed at least one of the false claims about COVID-19 vaccines.
PUBLISHED APR 13, 2024
Cover Image Source: Participate in online surveys | Photo by Lukas | Pexels
Cover Image Source: Participate in online surveys | Photo by Lukas | Pexels

Along with the services that the digital marketplace has to offer, the world has also become a smaller place thanks to connectivity and the flow of information. However, the lack of regulation has also led to a lot of misinformation, which has proven to be dangerous in matters related to health. As per a new survey by KFF, 45% of adults said that they have either heard to believed at least one of the false claims about COVID-19 vaccines. "It just is a matter of taking time,” says Dr. Seema Yasmin, director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative at Stanford University. Yasmin is also the author of “What The Fact?!: Finding the Truth in All the Noise." As per Dr. Seema Yasmin, there are certain red flags that one needs to recognize to become less susceptible to these frauds. 

Pexels | Photo by Pixabay
Pexels | Photo by Pixabay

It's a pretty common saying that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Dr. Yasmin urges people to do a little more investigating if they suspect something's fishy. She asked everyone to look for words like, "100% cure, and guaranteed. "You’d be surprised at how quickly the human brain can want to fall for those false promises,” she adds. “You want to do extra digging when those kinds of big promises are attached to a product or something that somebody is selling," she says, via CNBC Make It.



 

Dr. Yasmin urges people to look for posts across social media that promote a new and fresh treatment."There are lots of people who have business models that are built on this," Freelon says. “It targets people who are already disillusioned with the medical establishment, in some cases, for good reason. But it says, ‘Hey, here’s this alternative that you can buy from me.'"

Any post that targets your emotions is a red flag, per Dr. Yasmin. "Often, posts about health information that trigger emotional responses are designed to get us to fall for lies,” she says. This is why it's important to watch out for advertisements that trigger you emotionally. 

Representative Image | Unsplash | Photo by National Cancer Institute
Representative Image | Unsplash | Photo by National Cancer Institute

Some health news simply sounds outlandish and when one needs to stop and question the piece that they are reading.  Deen Freelon, a Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania asks people to be wary of things that are simply against the "basic tenets of generally accepted like human biology." He urges people to recognize how many scammers weave their posts based on "essentially nothing," and even spread misinformation about how the human body works. 

It's extremely important to verify the source of the information that you are reading. See if the post is linked to an organization or refers to somebody who is known in the field. It's also a great idea to turn to trusted sites that will help you cross-verify the information. You can also use reverse image search tools for the photos that have been included in the advertisement or the article.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Parcells wrote the checks worth millions and never even asked the players to pay the money back.
4 hours ago
The way he lived and his chosen career path never gave anything away about his investments.
10 hours ago
She also recommended taking time before responding to messages to gauge the person's real intentions.
1 day ago
The revolutionary new ad-tech startup STIC has officially launched, enabling everyday drivers to turn their vehicles into rolling billboards and earn extra income with each mile.
1 day ago
Apart from the discounts, Walmart also announced changes to delivery timings and updates on an AI assistant.
5 days ago
People will receive a share of the massive settlement based on the number of bars that they bought between the given dates.
5 days ago
The expert that Harrison consulted gave valuations that were closer to what the seller was asking for.
5 days ago
O'Leary's comments are backed by data showing how a vast majority of Americans need coffee to kick-start their day.
6 days ago
The man's wife refused to believe him since she was used to him playing pranks on her.
Oct 29, 2024
When told that his profit margins were low, the innovator said that he was selling the product to farmers.
Oct 29, 2024
The overlay text of the video reads, "Pov: you and your boyfriend accidentally make 20k+ profit reselling SALT on Amazon."
Oct 29, 2024
Although he does plan to take some me time, Richer has no intentions of retiring anytime soon even at 60.
Oct 28, 2024
While Rubush had guessed the word within 10 seconds, the 4-5 second pause she took before saying "WORD" cost her dearly.
Oct 28, 2024
Although the co-founder did walk away with an investment, O'Leary had some harsh words for him.
Oct 27, 2024
The woman says that she went to the store and was treated dismissively by the staff.
Oct 27, 2024
The woman tested the limits of the retail club's return policy and came out successful.
Oct 27, 2024
The crypto expert held thousands of Bitcoins and was among the first ones to advocate cryptocurrencies.
Oct 26, 2024
The expert asked the seller to explain the story behind the memorabilia before making a rare decision.
Oct 25, 2024
His girlfriend grew concerned about the amount of money he was spending.
Oct 25, 2024
Hiring of college grads has also gone down by 6% and is set to drop further according to surveys.
Oct 24, 2024