Latest news with #misinformation
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
More than half of top 100 mental health TikToks contain misinformation, study finds
More than half of all the top trending videos offering mental health advice on TikTok contain misinformation, a Guardian investigation has found. People are increasingly turning to social media for mental health support, yet research has revealed that many influencers are peddling misinformation, including misused therapeutic language, 'quick fix' solutions and false claims. Those seeking help are confronted with dubious advice, such as eating an orange in the shower to reduce anxiety; the promotion of supplements with a limited evidence base for alleviating anxiety, such as saffron, magnesium glycinate and holy basil; methods to heal trauma within an hour; and guidance presenting normal emotional experiences as a sign of borderline personality disorder or abuse. MPs and experts said the findings that social media platforms were riddled with unhelpful, harmful and sometimes dangerous mental health advice were 'damning' and 'concerning', and urged the government to strengthen regulation to protect the public from the spread of misinformation. The Guardian took the top 100 videos posted under the #mentalhealthtips hashtag on TikTok and shared them with psychologists, psychiatrists and academic experts, who took a view on whether the posts contained misinformation. The experts established that 52 out of 100 videos offering advice on dealing with trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression and severe mental illness contained some misinformation, and that many others were vague or unhelpful. David Okai, a consultant neuropsychiatrist and researcher in psychological medicine at King's College London who reviewed the anxiety- and depression-related videos, said some posts misused therapeutic language, for example using wellbeing, anxiety and mental disorder interchangeably, 'which can lead to confusion about what mental illness actually entails', he said. Many videos offered general advice based on narrow personal experience and anecdotal evidence, which 'may not be universally applicable', he added. The posts reflected how 'short-form, attention-grabbing soundbites can sometimes overshadow the more nuanced realities of qualified therapeutic work' on social media. The videos also over-emphasised therapy. 'While there is strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of therapy, it's important to emphasise that it's not magic, a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all solution,' he said. Dan Poulter, a former health minister and NHS psychiatrist who reviewed the videos about severe mental illness, said some of them 'pathologise everyday experiences and emotions, suggesting that they equate to a diagnosis of serious mental illness'. 'This is providing misinformation to impressionable people and can also trivialise the life experiences of people living with serious mental illnesses.' Amber Johnston, a British Psychological Society-accredited psychologist who reviewed the trauma videos, said that while most videos contained a nugget of truth, they tended to over-generalise while minimising the complexity of post-traumatic stress disorder or trauma symptoms. 'Each video is guilty of suggesting that everyone has the same experience of PTSD with similar symptoms that can easily be explained in a 30-second reel. The truth is that PTSD and trauma symptoms are highly individual experiences that cannot be compared across people and require a trained and accredited clinician to help a person understand the individual nature of their distress,' she said. 'TikTok is spreading misinformation by suggesting that there are secret universal tips and truths that may actually make a viewer feel even worse, like a failure, when these tips don't simply cure.' TikTok said videos were taken down if they discouraged people from seeking medical support or promoted dangerous treatments. When people in the UK search for terms linked to mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, autism or post-traumatic stress disorder, they are also directed to NHS information. Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP, said the technology committee she chaired was investigating misinformation on social media. 'Significant concerns' had been raised in the inquiry about the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act in 'tackling false and/or harmful content online, and the algorithms that recommend it', she said. 'Content recommender systems used by platforms like TikTok have been found to amplify potentially harmful misinformation, like this misleading or false mental health advice,' she added. 'There's clearly an urgent need to address shortcomings in the OSA to make sure it can protect the public's online safety and their health.' The Liberal Democrat MP Victoria Collins agreed the findings were 'damning', and urged the government to act to keep people safe from 'harmful misinformation'. Paulette Hamilton, the Labour MP who chairs the health and social care select committee, said mental health misinformation on social media was 'concerning' . 'These 'tips' on social media should not be relied upon in place of professional, suitably qualified support,' she said. Prof Bernadka Dubicka, the online safety lead for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said that although social media could increase awareness, it was important that people were able to access up-to-date, evidence-based health information from trusted sources. Mental illness could only be diagnosed through a 'comprehensive assessment from a qualified mental health professional', she added. A TikTok spokesperson said: 'TikTok is a place where millions of people express themselves, come to share their authentic mental health journeys, and find a supportive community. There are clear limitations to the methodology of this study, which opposes this free expression and suggests that people should not be allowed to share their own stories. 'We proactively work with health experts at the World Health Organization and NHS to promote reliable information on our platform and remove 98% of harmful misinformation before it's reported to us.' A government spokesperson said ministers were 'taking action to reduce the impact of harmful mis- and disinformation content online' through the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to tackle such material if it was illegal or harmful to children. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
What is the most common mental health misinformation on TikTok?
Thousands of influencers peddle mental health misinformation on social media platforms – some out of a naive belief that their personal experience will help people, others because they want to boost their following or sell products. As part of a Guardian investigation, experts established clear themes to the misinformation contained in videos posted with a #mentalhealthtips hashtag on TikTok. Several videos about borderline personality disorder suggest symptoms that are everyday experiences – such as feeling anxiety when people change plans, experiencing mood swings, a fear of abandonment and mirroring people's behaviour to be liked. Another video purports to show how depression manifests in the workplace as a lack of concentration, feeling tired, having low energy levels, a loss of appetite and irritability. 'While some of the 'symptoms' overlap with depression, these can be attributed to a range of afflictions and struggles,' said Liam Modlin, a therapist and psychology researcher at King's College London. One video said that people with bipolar disorder experience mood swings because their emotional pendulum swings more widely and rapidly than most. However this is a misunderstanding, since people experience extended mood changes over periods of weeks rather than rapid 'mood swings'. 'This is an example of misappropriating a mental health diagnosis to wrongly explain or justify behaviour,' said Dan Poulter, a former health minister and NHS psychiatrist. 'A person with bipolar disorder may find this trivialising of their experience of living with a debilitating and serious mental illness.' Another popular video suggests that when someone is about to die by suicide they become 'almost bipolar' – 'language [that] can further stigmatise mental health', said Prof Rina Dutta, a consultant psychiatrist and psychiatry professor at King's College London. Another video claims signs of abuse are constantly apologising; breaking down during small disagreements; needing reassurance; struggling to be open; being hypersensitive to criticism, and hiding feelings. 'The behaviours it describes, while potentially present in abusive dynamics, are not exclusive to abuse and may occur in a variety of other contexts,' said Modlin. 'By presenting these signs without sufficient context or diagnostic nuance, the video risks encouraging viewers to self-diagnose or mislabel complex relational struggles as abuse.' This was the most common form of misinformation contained in the videos. One video promotes a method it said was cheaper than therapy and had fewer side effects than antidepressants that could enable people 'to heal from trauma in an hour' and involved writing about the traumatic experiences for 15 minutes non-stop. 'No research suggests this is sufficient for cure, definitely not in an hour, and there is risk of independently forcing oneself back into this traumatic mindset without the support of an experienced therapist,' said Amber Johnston, an accredited psychotherapist. Another clip suggests that crying is self-soothing and good for processing emotions, including by stimulating the release of cortisol. 'Cortisol changes related to crying are complex and cannot be distilled down in this way,' said Amy Durden, a psychotherapist. 'Crying can bring relief but not always. It can be self-soothing but if the person crying judges their crying negatively, they do not experience this benefit and may feel acute shame.' Several videos featured glib quotations that the experts viewed as unhelpful such as: 'If you're not changing, you're choosing', while another popular quotation said: 'When you feel like everyone hates you, sleep. When you feel like you hate everyone, eat. When you feel like you hate yourself, shower. And when you feel like everyone hates everyone, go outside.' 'This is a huge oversimplification of how to address complex emotional states,' said Durden. 'It seems to be pulling from behavioural activation in CBT, but without any context or individualisation.' A specific breathing technique for treating anxiety was promoted in another video. 'There is no single, universally effective breathing technique that is helpful in all cases,' said David Okai, a consultant neuropsychiatrist. 'If performed incorrectly, the exercises can be the equivalent of hyperventilation, which can be extremely unpleasant and exacerbate anxiety.' Another video suggests depression is caused by alcohol, tobacco, MSG, caffeine, sugar and hydrolysed wheat. Modlin said that although lifestyle factors can contribute, 'this framing is overly simplistic and potentially misleading', since there are complex interwoven factors, including genetics and neurobiology, psychosocial stressors, childhood adversity, medical conditions and personality styles. Other clips promote supplements including saffron, magnesium glycinate and holy basil extract to ease anxiety. Although the psychiatrist Famia Askari said there are some studies showing benefits to some of these, there is not sufficient consensus for these to have become part of clinical practice – they are also manufactured supplements, in contrast to the 'natural' claims that featured. Two videos recommend admission to psychiatric units based on personal experience, including one suggesting someone had considerably improved after six days, and another offering a template for children to ask their parents to have them admitted. Poulter said this was 'misleading' and can 'create misconceptions' about the benefits of inpatient admission. 'Inpatient admission can in fact create and reinforce maladaptive coping mechanisms,' he said. 'It is also very rare that someone would be driving themselves into mental health hospital in the way depicted by the video.' Another video depicts someone in a hospital gown in what appears to be a psychiatric ward stating: 'I was too honest with my psychiatrist.' This could be harmful as it is 'potentially encouraging people to not be honest and open with healthcare professionals about their mental health', said Poulter. In another clip, a woman gives her strategies for managing anxiety, including eating an orange in the shower. 'There is no evidence-base for eating citrus in the shower as a means to reducing anxiety, and I would worry that this would lead on to an ever-increasing spiral of unusual behaviours,' said Okai.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
The BBC World Service is a vital beacon of truth in the fight against fake news
You are right to persist in drawing attention to the need for long-term support of the BBC World Service (Editorial, 23 May). It has been an important medium for truthful reporting since the 1930s. I joined in 1967 as PA to its redoubtable editor Bob Gregson. Soon after, it became a 24-hour service, and in the years that followed it became a substantial international service. The reputation of its news and current affairs programmes and independent editorial stance was second to none, and it offered the world what was best in British culture. It was then funded by the Foreign Office. Over recent years, I have seen it shrinking in types of output, yet the importance and reputation of its news and current affairs remains as solid as ever. With the rise in misinformation and disinformation, particularly in these times of international conflict, it remains a beacon of truth. The BBC World Service, and not just the English language service, cannot be allowed to shrink away to a token voice – or worse, nothing. Funding must be found from somewhere. Britain's international reputation would be poorer without HirstBroad Oak, East Sussex Your editorial raises concerns over possible government funding cuts to the BBC World Service. By implication and in light of the government's 1 April announcement to reduce VisitBritain funding by 41%, it is clear how priorities have changed over the use of soft power to influence positive perceptions of the UK – perceptions that will ultimately prove pivotal in securing much-needed economic growth and international investment. Andrew CampbellFormer chair, Wales Tourism Alliance Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Fox News
a day ago
- General
- Fox News
I'm a physician and I'm worried that our health agencies are facing increasing chaos
The American health system is bleeding out, and it desperately needs a real doctor. Leading Health and Human Services (HHS) today is like navigating a chaotic hospital — patients in every hallway, monitors screaming, seconds ticking away. Yet, instead of a seasoned physician who triages and trusts proven protocols, that hospital is overseen by an activist named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A patient's oxygen level plummets; nurses turn to HHS Secretary Kennedy. Instead of orders, they get a lecture on conspiracies. Chaos follows. That chaos is now national. Our health agencies are trying to perform open-heart surgery while debating the effectiveness of a scalpel. Scientists who should be developing next-generation cancer vaccines are, instead, defending 60-year-old elementary science. Conspiracy ideology is beginning to take over, and we're all going to pay the price. I'm a board-certified physician and one of the most-followed online, and since Kennedy took office, I've been forced to swap from fact-checking Instagram influencers to fact-checking the nation's top public-health official. Our nation's health system is in shambles, and the leadership of HHS plays a pivotal role in fixing this disaster. That's why it's deeply alarming that Kennedy, who continues to spread misinformation and denies the fundamentals of medicine, remains at the helm of the agency. Although he claims he's "not anti-vaccine," his words and actions tell a different story. He recklessly attacks vaccine efficacy, spreads disproven theories linking vaccines to autism, and denies fundamental virology — from diseases like HIV, measles, and more. I'm all for healthy skepticism, but scientific skepticism means investigating data, not cherry-picking it … or making it up. These aren't privately held beliefs either — a post on his active X account states that the HPV vaccine "increases cervical-cancer risk" all despite mountains of real-world data showing up to 88% drops in cancer among vaccinated teens. Sweden, England, and even the CDC surveillance report plunging pre-cancer rates. Recently, he claimed, "50% of the population is diabetic" and that "one out of every three kids" already has the disease. In reality, true estimates put China's diabetes prevalence around 12%, and the U.S. pediatric figure closer to one in 300. If one of my interns inflated numbers by a factor of 10, they'd be sent back to remedial math. Kennedy does it regularly on primetime television. Worse, he's now canceled $12 billion in disease outbreak prevention programs, proposed a 26% cut to the NIH budget, and pink-slipped roughly 20,000 public-health scientists and staff. Those decisions have consequences: dozens of federally funded vaccine clinics in Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas and Washington were canceled just as measles cases blew past 1,000 — the worst surge in a generation. He's dismantling the firehouse while buildings are burning. Public health cannot survive an HHS head who guts the programs that keep us safe and then fans the very myths that make outbreaks explode. Kennedy's long record of undermining proven public health measures and spreading scientific falsehoods makes him a threat to millions of Americans. Certainly, he should never have been confirmed to lead the office in the first place, but choosing to leave him in charge is like handing the keys to a driver who continues to insist that stop signs and red lights are optional. Today, I say that Kennedy is the wrong person to lead HHS. The integrity of our nation's health agencies demands leadership grounded in facts, research, and transparency — not misinformation. Doctors like me take an oath to 'do no harm.' We must call out leaders like Secretary Kennedy when they cause great harm to public health. We must stop the bleeding.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Legal action taken against 7 for social media rumours, fake posts in Ras Al Khaimah
A total of seven individuals have been referred to the Public Prosecution since the beginning of 2025 for social media misinformation, authorities in Ras Al Khaimah said. Legal action was taken against the individuals who published visual and written content containing footage of inappropriate practices, some of which were inaccurate.
