The prevalence of misinformation on social media platforms is a growing concern, particularly when it comes to health-related topics such as cancer cures. A recent study conducted by Dr. Stephanie Alice Baker from City St George’s, University of London, revealed that a staggering 81% of cancer cures promoted on TikTok are fake.
The research, which took an ethnographic approach, involved allowing TikTok’s algorithm to recommend videos to a user searching for cancer cures. The findings showed that only 19% of the monitored videos contained legitimate medical advice, leaving a vast majority of content spreading false information.
Gen Z, in particular, is at risk of falling victim to this cancer misinformation as TikTok serves as a search engine for many younger users seeking health information. The platform not only allows creators to share fake cures but also enables them to link to e-commerce stores where users can purchase potentially harmful products like oregano oil, apricot kernels, or dog dewormer.
What’s more concerning is that the spread of cancer misinformation on TikTok can lead users down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and radical content. Some creators use contrarian doctors or conspiracy theories to legitimize their false claims, further perpetuating a dangerous cycle of misinformation.
The study also highlighted how TikTok’s algorithm plays a significant role in radicalizing users. The endless scroll feature of the platform exposes viewers to increasingly extreme content, gradually desensitizing them to dangerous ideologies.
To conduct the study, a TikTok account was created to mimic a user searching for cancer cures, and the platform’s algorithm was allowed to recommend videos based on this search. The top 50 posts appearing for the search term “cancer cure” were collected and analyzed thematically over a period of weeks.
Dr. Baker emphasized the urgent need for online regulators to address the rampant spread of misinformation on platforms like TikTok. She called for governments to put pressure on social media giants to better moderate their content and prevent the dissemination of fake cures and harmful products.
The research paper, titled “‘Link in bio’: fake cancer cures, radicalization pathways and online harms on TikTok,” is set to be published in “The Impact of Misinformation and Disinformation on a Democratic Society” and is currently available on the SocArXiv preprint server.
In conclusion, the study sheds light on the alarming prevalence of cancer misinformation on TikTok and the detrimental impact it can have on users. It serves as a stark reminder of the need for stricter regulations and oversight to curb the spread of false health information on social media platforms.
