3.E. Scientific session: Mis- and disinformation in the digital age: Implications for public health

Abstract The spread of misinformation, i.e. false or inaccurate information, and disinformation, i.e. false information that is intended to mislead, represents a significant challenge to public health. Indeed, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization proclaimed an “infodemic” characterised by “too much information, including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments”. Misleading information has been shown to hamper the promotion of evidence-based policies and increase population mistrust in health research and institutions. Amongst others, this is reflected in declining vaccination rates and the rise of infections with largely preventable diseases such as measles, low uptake rates of evidence-based protective measures during the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting infections and potential long-term consequences, and engagement in unhealthy and potentially dangerous consumption behaviours, which are detrimental to public health. In fact, health mis- and disinformation are global phenomena enhanced by the rise of social media and digital technologies, with a higher incidence in more disadvantaged populations. Sociodemographic factors, such as age, sex, educational level, and economic deprivation, play a crucial role in the spread and susceptibility to mis- and disinformation. Accordingly, mis- and disinformation might be especially dangerous to those that are already at a disadvantage. Action to contain the spread of mis- and disinformation is thus urgently needed to preserve trust in the health sciences, services and policies to ultimately promote population health. The workshop will be structured into four sections. First, an introduction to mis- and disinformation, their public health importance and a brief summary of evidence-based mitigation strategies will be provided (10 minutes). Second, across three case studies on key public health targets (i.e., dietary supplements, e-cigarettes/vaping, and vaccination), we will present findings on mis- and disinformation impacts as well as potential mitigation strategies for different populations and settings (15 minutes). Third, a topic-based discussion will be conducted with all workshop participants. Here, participants will be allocated into groups based on the three case study topics and work on recommendations to best scale up digital interventions for reduce the impact of mis- and disinformation while also reducing current disparities (25 minutes). The final part of the workshop will highlight the key takeaways from the group discussion (10 minutes). Key messages • Health-related mis-/disinformation is highly prevalent, impacts public health negatively, and increases disparities. • Mis- and disinformation is often spread online, but online environments can also be re-designed and leveraged to mitigate their impact.