Following on the earlier advisory on confronting health misinformation, the U.S. Surgeon General has released a community toolkit for addressing health misinformation, defined as “information that is false, inaccurate, or misleading according to the best available evidence at the time.”
The toolkit identifies some of the common types of health misinformation—including memes, misleading graphs, and edited videos—explains why it can be tempting for many to share health misinformation, and helps unpack why people create harmful information.
Then it offers a number of practical approaches to bring effective practices for combatting misinformation to your community. For example, here are some of the tips the toolkit offers:
- Listen to individuals’ fears and concerns, avoiding the tendency to offer a quick fact-check that is likely to shut down the conversation
- Empathize by acknowledging their concerns and share why it can difficult to know what is true, including any examples of when you have fallen for misinformation
- Point to credible sources that will resonate with your audience and remind them that those who may be an expert on one topic are not necessarily expert on another
- Don’t publicly shame by calling people out publicly; rather, try to have conversations in private (e.g., one-on-one or via direct message on social media) and use a caring tone
- Use inclusive language to make it clear that you see yourself being impacted in the same way (e.g., use terms like “we” and “our community” rather that “you”)
Additional Information
- Health Misinformation information from the Surgeon General
- A Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation, Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2021. (press release)
- Confronting Health Misinformation: The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Building a Healthy Information Environment, Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2021. (press release)