In today’s era of information access and AI, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate truth from well-made AI-generated content. Identifying AI becomes especially challenging because people aren’t usually in a discerning mindset when scrolling through the internet. Most of the time, they’re simply looking to relax and be distracted.

That might be (debatably) fine when it comes to funny videos or memes, but it’s a very different story when health information is involved.

It is now common for people to look up what help they need before they go to a doctor. This information helps them identify the type of care they receive, its costs, and how to exercise home remedies before they need to go to a medical professional. It follows that they must be informed with information that’s accurate, relevant, timely, up to date, and transparent. However, because of limited skills to access good quality health information, people tend to rely on information derived from social media, friends, and, increasingly, AI tools like ChatGPT.

Online platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are common sources of fast and easy information; however, this space also propagates harmful practices as they may provide people with misleading or biased, inaccurate, and poor-quality health information. This practice of misinformation (false or inaccurate information deliberately intended to deceive) and disinformation (deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; and propaganda) is one of the most rampant problems in healthcare that affects our generation.

The situation has escalated to the point that healthcare systems’ efforts to eliminate life-threatening diseases have been severely impacted. In the Philippines, a state of panic broke out in 2019 following the re-emergence of polio, a disease previously declared eradicated in the country. This resurgence was closely linked to the widespread misinformation stemming from the dengue vaccine “Dengvaxia” controversy in 2017, where exaggerated claims about vaccines causing severe side effects or even death led to a sharp decline in public trust in immunization programs. As a result, misinformation became a key barrier to polio eradication efforts, with fear and vaccine hesitancy hampering the country’s disease prevention campaigns.

To this day, low public trust in vaccination continues to affect routine immunization efforts, shown by a childhood immunization rate of 61%, far below the 95% target, leaving many children vulnerable to otherwise preventable deadly diseases.

At the same time, while AI-powered tools offer unprecedented access to knowledge, their downsides must not be overlooked. AI models generate content based on vast datasets, but they do not inherently distinguish fact from fiction. Without proper verification, public information may be based on AI hallucinations. This complicates people’s ability to find genuinely evidence-based health information, which in turn may affect their health-seeking behavior. If individuals begin to mistrust physicians or delay consultations because of inaccurate online advice, the doctor–patient relationship may weaken, leading to poorer adherence to medical advice and potentially worse health outcomes.

On the bright side, these infodemics and misinformation can be effectively addressed through multisectoral initiatives implemented at both macro and micro levels. While government interventions of developing legal measures and policies in the scene are essential, corresponding support must be provided in youth and community settings. Campaigns should aim to create awareness, improve health-related content, build trust in credible health organizations and experts, and generally enhance people’s literacy in both digital and health aspects for them to better assess and identify misinformation.

Young people play a pivotal role in this dynamic landscape. With their strong online presence, young people are often the first to encounter, share, or challenge health-related content. Their digital fluency enables them to quickly amplify both accurate and inaccurate information. Harnessing this potential requires targeted interventions that empower youth to become responsible digital citizens. Training programs, peer-led campaigns, and collaborations with student and youth organizations can help shape a culture of critical thinking and fact-checking.

Several global and local initiatives provide examples of how to effectively combat misinformation. For instance, the S.U.R.E. campaign in Singapore effectively combined government messaging, media partnerships, and youth ambassadors to promote fact-checking habits. Similarly, in the Philippines, UNICEF worked with Meta to analyze vaccine hesitancy trends and organize campaigns to increase confidence in routine vaccination. These examples highlight that coordinated strategies combining digital literacy, community engagement, and credible messengers can mitigate the harms of misinformation and restore confidence in healthcare.

As the world grapples with the double-edged sword of digital and AI-driven information, safeguarding public health depends on more than just regulation. It requires a culture of discernment, responsibility, and trust. AI and social media will remain central in how people access health knowledge, but the key lies in empowering individuals, especially the youth, to navigate this landscape wisely. Let’s utilize the strategies offered by successful case studies and foster collaboration across sectors and societies to ensure health communication’ purpose: to inform, protect, and improve lives.