A now-infamous tweet by rapper Nicki Minaj is the latest example of false messaging about the COVID-19 vaccines.
It’s reignited a conversation about how to fight vaccine misinformation online — and whether calling it out actually works.
And it’s not just those outside the medical establishment who are hesitant or actively spreading false information. A small percentage of doctors are, too.
From The Washington Post:
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have all enacted stricter rules against coronavirus misinformation over the course of the pandemic. Posting outright lies about vaccines — that they kill people, for instance — is against the rules on all three platforms. But much of the misinformation is spread by those who say they are simply asking questions, something the platforms have been hesitant to police.
Online wellness communities are especially open to such questioning, as members often wind up there in the first place because their health issues have been dismissed by the medical system.
We talk with experts about the tangled web of vaccine misinformation online — and how to fight it.
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