TikTok has recently joined forces with the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat the spread of health-related misinformation on its platform. This collaboration involves working closely with WHO’s Fides group to enhance TikTok’s medical fact-checking efforts, aiming to ensure that users have access to accurate health information.
The Fides group consists of over 800 healthcare professionals who are active on social media and dedicated to fighting misinformation by providing factual insights on important health issues. They currently reach millions of users across diverse platforms, and with TikTok’s involvement, their influence is expected to grow even more.
In a statement, TikTok announced, “This partnership will bring Fides network creators from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil together to produce and promote evidence-based content. Additionally, we are making a $3 million contribution to support WHO’s global efforts in destigmatizing mental health issues and fostering a knowledgeable, compassionate, and supportive online community.”
The creators from Fides will focus on sharing clear explanations about health and scientific research, providing expert perspectives on current health trends. This strategy is intended to counteract the surge of harmful misinformation that has become more prevalent on social media since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 2023 survey conducted with U.S. adults highlighted a rising skepticism about vaccines, showing that Americans are increasingly less likely to see approved vaccines as safe compared to just two years ago. TikTok has also grappled with misleading health trends on its platform.
According to an analysis by The Washington Post and the nonprofit news organization The Examination, a review of Instagram and TikTok posts from 2022 to 2023 found that the food, beverage, and dietary supplement industries funded numerous registered dietitian influencers to create content promoting diet soda, sugar, and supplements, which reached millions of viewers. The affiliations of these dietitians with the food industry were not always disclosed to the audience.
These challenges are precisely the types of issues that Fides experts aim to confront by offering impartial and expert guidance. Their goal is to help educate younger audiences about health trends and curb the spread of misinformation on the platform.