The World Health Organization (WHO) and TikTok have established a new partnership aimed at combating the spread of medical misinformation on the site. In order to improve its medical fact-checking procedure and increase the amount of correct health information that users receive, TikTok will collaborate with the WHO’s Fides group on this endeavor.
With the help of WHO and TikTok, by offering accurate explanations and observations on important medical and health matters, the Fides group, a network of more than 800 healthcare professionals engaged on social media, seeks to counteract misinformation. The group is already interacting with millions of users on other platforms, and with TikTok’s help, their reach will only grow.
TikTok stated, “Through this partnership, Fides network creators in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil will be joining TikTok to create and promote evidence-based content. We are also making a $3M donation to support WHO’s global work in destigmatizing mental health conditions and creating an informed, empathetic, and supportive online community.”
The designers of Fides will be responsible for disseminating explainers on science and health, providing knowledgeable analysis on hot health themes. This strategy is seen to be a viable defense against dangerous false information that has proliferated on social media sites in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Valiant Richey, Global Head of Trust and Safety Outreach and Partnerships, TikTok said, “We know that millions of people come to TikTok every day to share and find community in all areas of their life, including their well-being, and we strive to ensure they can find reliable information on this important topic. That’s why today we are delighted to be collaborating with the World Health Organization’s Fides network of health influencers, to further strengthen this commitment by bringing engaging and authoritative mental well-being content to our community.”
In fact, a study conducted in 2023 among adult Americans found that people’s doubt about vaccines was growing, with fewer people believing that approved vaccines are safe than they were two years earlier. Misleading health trends have also presented difficulties for TikTok.
As reported by *BU Today*, “An analysis of Instagram and TikTok posts from 2022 to 2023 by the *Washington Post* and the nonprofit news site *The Examination* found that the food, beverage, and dietary supplement industries paid dozens of registered dietitian influencers to post content promoting diet soda, sugar, and supplements, reaching millions of viewers. The dietitians’ relationships with the food industry were not always made clear to viewers.”
These are the kinds of topics that the experts from Fides will be talking about. They will provide objective and knowledgeable guidance to assist educate younger audiences about health trends and stop false information from spreading throughout the platform.
