Within Health Claims
The pause that stops false health posts
A brief accuracy check can interrupt the impulse to share dramatic health claims before checking their evidence.
On this page
- Why attention drifts away from accuracy online
- What accuracy prompt research suggests
- A practical pause routine for health posts
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Introduction
A surprisingly small intervention can reduce the spread of false health information online: asking people to think about accuracy before they share. Research suggests that many users do not share misleading health claims because they have carefully evaluated and endorsed them. Instead, sharing often happens in fast-moving social media environments where attention is directed towards emotion, identity, humour, outrage or social approval rather than truthfulness. When platforms or users introduce a brief “accuracy prompt” before reposting content, the quality of what people choose to share tends to improve. [PMC+2PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCAccuracy prompts are a replicable and generalizableby G Pennycook · 2022 · Cited by 364 — Online misinformation has become a major focus of attention in recent years among academics, te…
For health information, this matters because a single repost can amplify unsupported claims about treatments, supplements, vaccines, diets or mental health advice. Accuracy prompts are not a complete solution to health misinformation, but they offer a practical way to create a moment of reflection before a claim spreads further.
Why attention drifts away from accuracy online
Most people would say that accuracy matters when discussing health. Yet social media platforms rarely make accuracy the central task. Instead, users are encouraged to react, comment, like and share quickly.
Researchers studying misinformation have argued that online sharing often reflects limited attention rather than deliberate deception. In experiments, many participants could distinguish between more and less accurate information when directly asked about truthfulness, but that distinction weakened when they were asked whether they would share the content. Simply redirecting attention back to accuracy improved sharing decisions. [PMC+2PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCNudging Social Media toward Accuracyfake news sharing on Twitter). Furthermore, people who are more…Read more…
Health content is especially vulnerable to this problem because it frequently triggers strong emotions. A post claiming that a common food causes cancer, that a supplement “cures” anxiety, or that doctors are hiding a breakthrough treatment can create urgency. In those moments, people may focus on warning friends, signalling group membership or expressing concern rather than evaluating evidence.
Another complication is repetition. Research on the “illusory truth effect” shows that repeated exposure can make information feel more believable, even when it is false. Seeing a health claim multiple times across feeds, videos and chat groups can increase familiarity, and familiarity is often mistaken for evidence. [PMC+2The Decision Lab]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPrior exposure increases perceived accuracy of fake newsby G Pennycook · 2018 · Cited by 1989 — Using actual fake news headlines prese…
The result is a system in which attention is continuously pulled away from the question that matters most: “Is this actually true?”
What accuracy-prompt research suggests
Accuracy prompts, sometimes called accuracy nudges, are brief interventions that encourage people to think about whether information is correct before sharing it. They can take many forms:
- Asking users to judge the accuracy of a single headline.
- Displaying a reminder to consider accuracy before reposting.
- Requesting a short explanation of why a claim might be true or false.
- Presenting a simple verification question before sharing.
The important feature is not the wording but the shift in attention.
A large body of experimental research has found that accuracy prompts reduce willingness to share false information while preserving the sharing of more accurate information. Studies conducted across different countries and platforms have repeatedly shown improvements in “sharing discernment” — the ability to distinguish between reliable and unreliable content when deciding what to pass on. [Cornell Chronicle+3PMC+3Nature]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCAccuracy prompts are a replicable and generalizableby G Pennycook · 2022 · Cited by 364 — Online misinformation has become a major focus of attention in recent years among academics, te…
One influential line of work found that asking participants to evaluate the accuracy of an unrelated headline before making sharing decisions significantly improved the quality of subsequent sharing choices. The intervention was remarkably lightweight: it did not require lengthy training, detailed fact-checking lessons or political persuasion. It simply made accuracy temporarily more salient. [Nature]nature.commisinformation on social media: experimental evidence for a scalable accuracy nudge intervention.Read more…
Evidence also suggests that these effects are not confined to a single study or population. Reviews and meta-analyses have found that accuracy prompts consistently reduce intentions to share misinformation, including false health-related claims circulated during the COVID-19 pandemic. [PMC+2healthaffairs.org]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCHow Accurate Are Accuracy-Nudge Interventions?A… - PMCby J Roozenbeek · 2021 · Cited by 190 — The spread of online misinformation and fake news has long been considered a threat to…
Some studies indicate that asking people to explain why a headline is true or false can further reduce sharing of unsupported claims. The act of generating a reason appears to expose weaknesses that may have gone unnoticed during a quick scroll. [online.ucpress.edu]online.ucpress.eduExplaining Why Headlines Are True or False Reduces11 Sept 2023 — Thus, explanation prompts may help people realize that false information is actually unsubstantiated, reducing their incli…
Why health claims are a particularly strong case for accuracy prompts
Health misinformation differs from many other forms of online misinformation because its consequences can be physical as well as informational.
A false claim about a supplement may encourage unnecessary spending. A misleading post about vaccines may influence medical decisions. Unsupported mental health advice may delay professional care. Reviews of the health misinformation literature have documented links between misleading online content and health-related behaviours during crises and public health emergencies. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govInfodemics and health misinformation: a systematic review of…by IJB do Nascimento · 2022 · Cited by 708 — This phenomenon, called a…
Recent examples illustrate the scale of the challenge. Analyses of popular social media health content have found that highly viewed posts often contain oversimplified, misleading or unsupported advice. In 2025, an expert review of widely viewed mental-health videos on TikTok found substantial levels of misinformation, including exaggerated claims and unsupported treatments. [The Guardian]theguardian.comEvaluated by psychologists and psychiatrists, these videos commonly misuse therapeutic language, promote unproven treatments like herbal…
Accuracy prompts are particularly valuable in this environment because they intervene before the claim spreads. Rather than trying to correct misinformation after it has reached thousands of people, they aim to reduce transmission at the point of sharing. This matters because exposure itself can increase later belief through familiarity effects. [PMC+2Misinformation Review]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPrior exposure increases perceived accuracy of fake newsby G Pennycook · 2018 · Cited by 1989 — Using actual fake news headlines prese…
A practical pause routine for health posts
The most useful version of an accuracy prompt does not require a platform redesign. Individuals can apply it themselves.
Before sharing a health claim, pause for a few seconds and ask:
- What is the actual claim? Separate the headline from the evidence. Is it claiming prevention, treatment, cure, diagnosis or risk reduction?
- What is the source? Is the information linked to a recognised medical organisation, peer-reviewed study or qualified expert? Or is it based primarily on testimonials and anecdotes?
- What evidence is being shown? A personal story can be meaningful without proving effectiveness. A laboratory finding is not the same as a proven treatment for people.
- Would I share this if it supported the opposite conclusion? This question helps reveal whether identity or emotion is driving the decision.
- Can I explain why I think it is true? If the explanation is only “I have seen it a lot” or “everyone is talking about it”, that is a warning sign.
The routine is intentionally short. The goal is not to turn every user into a medical researcher. It is to create enough friction that unsupported claims do not spread automatically.
What accuracy prompts can and cannot do
Accuracy prompts are promising because they are inexpensive, scalable and relatively non-confrontational. Unlike content removal or aggressive moderation, they do not require deciding every disputed claim on a platform. Instead, they encourage users to apply their own judgement more carefully. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCNudging Social Media toward Accuracyfake news sharing on Twitter). Furthermore, people who are more…Read more…
However, they are not a cure-all. Some users knowingly share misleading information for political, commercial or ideological reasons. Others may distrust mainstream evidence sources so strongly that a prompt has little effect. Researchers have also noted that intervention effectiveness varies across contexts and that misinformation remains a complex social problem requiring multiple approaches. [PMC+2PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCHow Accurate Are Accuracy-Nudge Interventions?A… - PMCby J Roozenbeek · 2021 · Cited by 190 — The spread of online misinformation and fake news has long been considered a threat to…
The strongest evidence therefore supports accuracy prompts as one layer of defence rather than a complete solution. They work best alongside credible health communication, fact-checking, media literacy efforts and platform design choices that reward reliability rather than pure engagement. [healthaffairs.org+2JMIR]healthaffairs.orgA Systematic Review Of COVID-19 Misinformation…Nov 15, 2023 — We found evidence supporting accuracy prompts, debunks, media literacy t…
The pause that stops false health posts
The significance of accuracy prompts lies in their simplicity. Much health misinformation spreads not because people have carefully weighed evidence and chosen falsehood, but because the online environment encourages speed over reflection. Research repeatedly shows that a brief reminder to consider truthfulness can improve sharing decisions and reduce the circulation of misleading claims. [PMC+2Nature]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCAccuracy prompts are a replicable and generalizableby G Pennycook · 2022 · Cited by 364 — Online misinformation has become a major focus of attention in recent years among academics, te…
In practical terms, the most effective accuracy prompt may be the one users give themselves: a short pause before clicking “share”. For health information, that pause can be the difference between amplifying a rumour and preventing it from reaching the next person.
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Endnotes
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCAccuracy prompts are a replicable and generalizable
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9051116/Source snippet
by G Pennycook · 2022 · Cited by 364 — Online misinformation has become a major focus of attention in recent years among academics, te...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCNudging Social Media toward Accuracy
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9082967/Source snippet
fake news sharing on Twitter). Furthermore, people who are more...Read more...
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Source: nature.com
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03344-2Source snippet
misinformation on social media: experimental evidence for a scalable accuracy nudge intervention.Read more...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6279465/Source snippet
Prior exposure increases perceived accuracy of fake newsby G Pennycook · 2018 · Cited by 1989 — Using actual fake news headlines prese...
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Source: nature.com
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62462-xSource snippet
Replicability and generalizability of the repeated exposure...by R Orchinik · 2025 · Cited by 4 — Additionally, the illusory truth effec...
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Source: nature.com
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62286-7Source snippet
Nudge-based misinformation interventions are effective in...by LH Butler · 2024 · Cited by 37 — The nudge intervention was effective at...
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Source: news.cornell.edu
Title: accuracy nudges decrease misinformation sharing left right
Link: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/04/accuracy-nudges-decrease-misinformation-sharing-left-rightSource snippet
Cornell ChronicleAccuracy 'nudges' decrease misinformation-sharing on left, rightApr 4, 2024 — They found that “nudges” regarding the imp...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCHow Accurate Are Accuracy-Nudge Interventions?
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8641132/Source snippet
A... - PMCby J Roozenbeek · 2021 · Cited by 190 — The spread of online misinformation and fake news has long been considered a threat to...
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Source: healthaffairs.org
Link: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00717Source snippet
A Systematic Review Of COVID-19 Misinformation...Nov 15, 2023 — We found evidence supporting accuracy prompts, debunks, media literacy t...
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Source: online.ucpress.edu
Title: Explaining Why Headlines Are True or False Reduces
Link: https://online.ucpress.edu/collabra/article/9/1/87617/197211/Explaining-Why-Headlines-Are-True-or-False-ReducesSource snippet
11 Sept 2023 — Thus, explanation prompts may help people realize that false information is actually unsubstantiated, reducing their incli...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9421549/Source snippet
Infodemics and health misinformation: a systematic review of...by IJB do Nascimento · 2022 · Cited by 708 — This phenomenon, called a...
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCOnline Interventions Addressing Health Misinformation
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12447009/Source snippet
Interventions Addressing Health Misinformation - PMCby H Grover · 2025 · Cited by 9 — Interventions to address health misinformation incl...
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Psychological Inoculation for Credibility Assessment...by C Lu · 2023 · Cited by 120 — This study indicated that psychological inoculati...
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Source: thedecisionlab.com
Title: The Decision Lab Illusory truth effect
Link: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/illusory-truth-effectSource snippet
Illusory truth effect - The Decision...Illusory Truth Effect is the positive feeling when we hear information that we believe to be true...
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Source: theguardian.com
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/31/more-than-half-of-top-100-mental-health-tiktoks-contain-misinformation-study-findsSource snippet
Evaluated by psychologists and psychiatrists, these videos commonly misuse therapeutic language, promote unproven treatments like herbal...
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Source: misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu
Title: developing an accuracy prompt toolkit to reduce covid 19 misinformation online
Link: https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/developing-an-accuracy-prompt-toolkit-to-reduce-covid-19-misinformation-online/Source snippet
Misinformation ReviewDeveloping an accuracy-prompt toolkit to reduce COVID...by Z Epstein · 2021 · Cited by 139 — Here we focus on reduc...
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Source: misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu
Title: global vaccination badnews
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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by A Matchanova · 2023 · Cited by 21 — However, it may be possible that even if older individuals are less susceptible to COVID-19 mis...
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Source: brown.edu
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Study identifies urgent need for improved research on how...Nov 17, 2023 — The research team categorized and explored different types of...
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Source: ebsco.com
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Illusory truth effect | Psychology | Research StartersThe illusory truth effect is a cognitive phenomenon where repeated exposure to fals...
Additional References
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345396954_An_initial_accuracy_focus_reduces_the_effect_of_prior_exposure_on_perceived_accuracy_of_news_headlinesSource snippet
(PDF) An initial accuracy focus reduces the effect of prior...8 May 2026 — The present study examined the effects that different ratings...
Published: May 2026
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382283496_Mitigating_the_Influence_of_Message_Features_on_Health_Misinformation_Sharing_Intention_in_Social_Media_Experimental_Evidence_for_Accuracy-Nudge_InterventionSource snippet
Experimental Evidence for Accuracy-Nudge InterventionAdding an accuracy-nudge label to health misinformation reduced users' misguided tru...
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Source: ide.mit.edu
Link: https://ide.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RB__3-31-24.pdfSource snippet
MIT Initiative on the Digital EconomyREDUCING MISINFORMATION SHARING WITH...Another study, this one of over 34,000 people in 16 countrie...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: prompting people to reflect on the accuracy of news headlines increases the qual
Link: https://www.facebook.com/NaturePortfolioJournals/posts/prompting-people-to-reflect-on-the-accuracy-of-news-headlines-increases-the-qual/10158484080983167/Source snippet
Prompting people to reflect on the accuracy of news...20 Mar 2021 — Prompting people to reflect on the accuracy of news headlines increa...
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Source: chicagopolicyreview.org
Title: try accuracy prompts to reduce the spread of misinformation online
Link: https://chicagopolicyreview.org/2022/01/04/try-accuracy-prompts-to-reduce-the-spread-of-misinformation-online/Source snippet
Try Accuracy Prompts to Reduce the Spread of...4 Jan 2022 — These accuracy prompts were modest interventions that encouraged participant...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgzTvgBSFEISource snippet
Accuracy prompts misinformation sharing health claims Health misinformation is dangerous | Suraj "Dr Sooj" Kukadia | TEDxNHS TEDx Talks...
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Source: springermedizin.de
Title: strategies and prerequisites for combating health misinformation
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Strategies and prerequisites for combating health...Dec 5, 2025 — The speed and complexity of transmitting health misinformation through...
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Title: believe and share misinformation related to COVID-19 and point
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COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Mediaby G Pennycook · 2020 · Cited by 2739 — In Study 1, participants were willing to share fake news a...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: A Surprisingly Effective Way to Fight Misinformation | Dave Jorgenson | TED
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yGSaeOUHikSource snippet
Dr. Gordon Pennycook on the Psychology of Fake News (Ep 13 Preview) Opinion Science · 950 views How You Can Help Combat Fake News | David...
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Source: semanticscholar.org
Link: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/4990dce5064dbc14924a9c283084518a12c7f901Source snippet
nd false head-lines about COVID-19, a variety of different accuracy prompts...
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