YouTube’s efforts to curb misinformation on its platform are well-documented. But what about semi-truthful videos that aren’t politically motivated? Those clips are the subject of a recent study published by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The ACAAI looked at 86 videos about allergic rhinitis — i.e. hay fever — and found that 36% of them contained “misleading” information.
To collect the sample for the study, researchers looked up the YouTube results for strings like “allergic rhinitis,” “hay fever,” and “allergy.” Some videos in the study — especially those that came from doctors or medical associations — conveyed accurate information. But nearly 40% of the surfaced videos originated from TV shows or non-doctoral YouTube channels, and nearly half of those clips contained misleading statements. The researchers only deemed 29% of the videos in that category “useful.”
The statements that were characterized as misleading sometimes promoted alternative treatments. One video was flagged for offering “specific instructions to make your own natural remedy to cure your hay fever.” Another questionable clip “informs that one can get relief by means of pressure in a certain place in the face.”
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“According to research, 70% of patients with a chronic disease are influenced by information they get from online sources, and one-quarter of internet users have watched an online video about a health or medical problem,” said Celine Lund-Nielsen Remvig, BSc, the lead author on the study. “Our study found that YouTube viewers may be unable to distinguish scientifically based information from misinformation.”
If you’re going to get medical advice from YouTube, you should already know to take the information you find with a grain of salt. This study is a reminder that inaccurate information doesn’t just originate from politically-motivated videos. The COVID-related conspiracy theories may get all the headlines, but erroneous details can pop up anywhere. That’s what happens when any can “share information regardless of the scientific grounds,” as the study puts it.
You can check out the complete study by clicking here.
