Louis Pasteur rolls in his grave every time someone mentions raw milk
We have entered an era many are calling “the golden age of innovation,” where we are seeing a boom in the creation of new technology, such as faster computers and more advanced phones. In turn, these have provided us with increased access to information and knowledge. It could be expected that this has led to a decrease in misinformation online as individuals are better able to access raw data and facts. Unfortunately, it is exactly the opposite. Misinformation remains rampant across social media, having very real and potentially deadly consequences.
Simply put, misinformation is false or misleading information. It’s a similar issue to fake news or disinformation, which is created purposely to mislead individuals. While these issues have always existed, social media and the rise of technology have created platforms where misinformation is able to spread quicker and be perpetuated more than ever before.
Take a look at TikTok. Even if you don’t use it personally, we all have been exposed to it. In fact, it’s kind of impossible to escape. It’s harmless at “first glance, but unfortunately, the platform is a breeding ground for science misinformation. Just consider the raw milk trend. With videos on the topic having over 126 million views, it is safe to say that it has spread across the platform with a vengeance. For those who have not yet encountered it, proponents of this movement support the consumption of unpasteurised (raw) milk, touting health benefits and nutritional qualities.
Pasteurisation is a process through which raw milk is heated to a specific temperature for a specific amount of
time. This process is performed to kill a myriad of pathogens that can be found in raw milk, including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. Obviously, none of that stuff would be fun to catch. Those who support the drinking of raw milk will make post after post online claiming that the pasteurisation process rids the milk of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes and thus, you should drink it unpasteurised. This is, of course, incorrect and has been proven wrong many times over. For instance, a study showed that proteins from pasteurised milk were utilised in metabolic processes in humans the same as proteins from microfiltration milk, which is unheated. That is to say, the heating process did not impact the metabolisation of milk proteins. The science indicates that pasteurisation is completely safe and is in fact necessary to protect you from the nasty pathogens found in raw milk. Experts are, very loudly, crying that you should NOT drink raw milk.
Despite this wealth of research indicating the benefits of pasteurisation, misinformation continues to spread, and some individuals are continuing to encourage consumption of raw milk despite its dangers. And unfortunately, raw milk is only one example of misinformation spreading on TikTok. Why is misinformation so prevalent?
The structure of social media apps may actually contribute to this rampant spread of misinformation. A study from Yale and the University of Southern California demonstrated that the reward structure of social media encourages users to habitually share news, especially that which attracts the attention of other individuals. What this means is that as people share posts that attract them—maybe with a flashy headline or imagery—they form a habit that is triggered every time they see a similar post. Pretty soon they are sharing misinformation consistently, spreading it across a platform. In the end, these social media apps themselves foster the propagation of science misinformation, regardless of the impact on the health and wellness of its users. Another reason that misinformation may spread so rapidly is lack of science and research literacy. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology demonstrated that individuals with poor health literacy and negative prior beliefs about an assigned health topic did not adequately examine what sources were available, instead demonstrating bias when selecting which sources they examine. In contrast, those with high health literacy and negative prior beliefs spent more time examining available sources and even examined web pages that presented contrasting opinions. This goes to show that individuals who were not taught science (or health) literacy may attempt to fact check information presented on social media, but instead fall into a trap of confirming incorrect science through bias. They may interact more with posts that confirm their beliefs, spreading misinformation across the app. Overall, this study demonstrates how easily misinformation can be propagated across social media. I’ve only presented two reasons that misinformation is spreading, but there could be hundreds more contributing to this issue.
Despite how grim this article has made it out to be, there are ways that we can combat misinformation. By not interacting (liking, sharing, commenting, etc.) with science misinformation on social media, we can work to prevent its spread across apps. It’s equally as important to work on educating individuals on what science is, how research works, and how to understand evidence and results. All these things increase an individual’s science literacy, providing them with the skills they need to recognise misinformation online. Finally, it is important to remember that social media is not a trusted source of news. Encourage people you know to do more rigorous research into topics they see online, and to listen to evidence-based science and medicine.
Misinformation is not just an educational crisis; it can cause real harm to individuals if they are encouraged to consume dangerous products like raw milk. Now more than ever, it is important to combat misinformation online and listen to qualified researchers. Remember, science saves lives.
