Young people have an important role in tackling misinformation and disinformation, as will be highlighted during a free public event at the World Health Summit in Naarm/Melbourne on 24 April.
Alison Barrett writes:
After witnessing a flood of confusion and hesitancy about COVID vaccination during its rollout across Australia in 2021, former AFLW player Akec Makur Chuot made the decision to use her platform to encourage people to “get the jab”.
Drawing upon research evidence, she shared with her online community reasons why she was getting vaccinated against COVID-19, and photos of when she did, encouraging people to learn more about the available vaccines and make an informed decision.
“I did this for my community, family, friends and my courageous clients at work. Let’s get it done,” Makur Chuot posted on Instagram in 2021.
Following her retirement from football last year, Makur Chuot, who was born in South Sudan and spent much of her childhood in a refugee camp in Kenya, now spends most of her time as a self-described content creator, akin to a social media influencer.
She works on a diverse range of projects, including corporate presentations on teamwork, and uses her platform to advocate on gender equality, diversity and racism. 
Makur Chuot will join a panel of health experts and journalists at an event hosted by VicHealth next week, to discuss the role and responsibility of influencers, social media and digital technology on health. Titled Misinformationitis – the impact of tech on health, the event is open to the public as part of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Naarm/Melbourne (register here).
Another panel member, Professor Brett Sutton, Director of Health and Biosecurity at CSIRO and former Victorian Chief Health Officer, said in a statement the goal of the event “is to equip attendees with the tools and understanding needed to make informed choices about their health in an increasingly digital world”.
Recent global and national events, including recent stabbing attacks in Sydney, the ongoing climate emergency, the Voice to Parliament referendum and conflict in the Middle East, highlight an urgent need for effective action on misinformation and disinformation.
High stakes
Given so many people obtain their news and health information online, it is important that digital platforms are safe for people, and that policies and laws keep powerful interests – such as Big Tech and others that profit from harmful products – accountable.
Tegan Taylor, Health and Science Reporter at ABC and co-host of ABC Radio National’s Health Report – who will chair the Misinformationitis event – told Croakey she thinks there should be regulation on social media “in the same way that we have regulation around media in Australia, and advertising standards”.
Taylor also emphasised the important role of journalists in addressing misinformation and disinformation by checking facts and correcting narratives with high-quality evidence.
“The stakes are high when we’re talking about health and health misinformation,” she said.
Taylor said social media influencers have a huge responsibility, especially as they quite often do not have formal training and, unlike journalists, may not have the ethical and editorial frameworks around them for support.
Taylor said she is excited to hear from the younger members on the Misinformationitis panel “about the reality” of working in social media, about where young people receive their information, and learning how best to communicate with them.
For Makur Chuot, being a content creator “is a big responsibility, but not a big pressure. It’s an honour”. She told Croakey it is an opportunity to be a role model for her community and help others.
She is also aware of her own limitations – “I’m not a trained professional”. However, Makur Chuot told Croakey she can “bridge that gap” between healthcare and the consumer by providing information and encouraging people to visit their healthcare provider.
News by and for young people
The panel will also feature the work of The Daily Aus (TDA), which “offers young Australians a digestible and engaging way to access the news”.
“We’re a newsroom of young journalists, delivering news for young people,” says the TDA website.
The site offers content in the categories of news, politics, world, economics, environment, science, culture and sport (but does not have a health category).
TDA is run by Zara Seidler and Sam Koslowski, “two twenty-somethings who decided they’d make a business out of explaining the news to their friends”.
Seidler, who will be part of the panel discussion, told Croakey via email that TDA was started “to use digital platforms to disseminate reliable, evidence-based news and information, and break through the noise in a way that works for young people”.
Shaping safe online environments
Governments have a fundamental role in shaping safe online environments, especially for youth, according to panel member Dr Brian Li Han Wong, a digital health consultant, global public health adviser and youth leader in global health, based in London.
“My work with The Lancet & Financial Times Commission on Governing Health Futures 2030 has shown me the profound impact digital transformations can have on youth,” he told Croakey via email.
“Ensuring they have access to accurate health information and are protected from misinformation is crucial for their development and wellbeing in a digital age.”
The public health sector also has a “pivotal role in countering mis- and disinformation, which involves both proactive and reactive strategies,” Wong said.
By collaborating with technology companies, educators and policymakers, public health professionals can enhance the dissemination of accurate health information and improve the public’s digital literacy, Wong told Croakey.
In addition, he said it was important for the sector to “actively engage with communities to understand their concerns and misconceptions, which can inform more effective health messaging and interventions”.
Echoing sentiments noted in a recent Croakey article, Wong said a multi-faceted approach is needed to “safeguard health information integrity and public trust”.
According to VicHealth’s CEO, Dr Sandro Demaio, “public health messages and campaigns that are community-informed and led have the greatest potential to cut through the noise on platforms like social media”.
“We know that real, authentic stories from people within our community, shared on verified channels, resonate most and have the greatest impact,” he told Croakey by email.
Misinformationitis: the impact of tech on health will be held at 2pm on Wednesday 24 April at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Register early to secure a spot at this free public event.
Declaration from Croakey: This article was funded as part of VicHeath’s ‘Health Equity Champion’ membership of the Croakey Health Media funding consortium. VicHealth had input into the selection of the topic of the article (misinformation); Croakey maintained editorial control over the research, writing and publication of the article.
Further news and reading
- Follow Alison Barrett, reporting for the Croakey Conference News Service at @WePublicHealth and #DigitalDeterminants24 for news from an event in Adelaide today, Navigating the Societal Digital Transformation: Professor Illona Kickbusch Presents.
- Stop the spread – of disinformation, lies and conspiracy theories, by Alison Verhoeven
- Youth Statement and Call for Action, from The Lancet & Financial Times Commission on Governing Health Futures 2030
- “Media policy is important for public health, for many reasons, and especially in this era of climate disruption, and escalating misinformation and disinformation,” Dr Melissa Sweet wrote at Croakey recently.
See Croakey’s archive of articles on misinformation and disinformation
