With so many conflicting messages about vaccines and their safety, it can feel overwhelming to sort out information from disinformation.

Most social media content telling people not to trust vaccines comes from a small number of accounts. This disinformation is spread widely because it sparks a strong emotion—like fear, anger or sadness—that gets us to react. Social media algorithms feed off these reactions and help the disinformation spread online. At the same time, some of this content looks and sounds legitimate, using technical words or hard-to-read data and charts. This is a manipulation tactic called cloaked science.

So if you see something online that seems very alarming, slow down and do more research. Have a high level of suspicion if you don't recognize and trust the original source of the content.

You can always verify information with HealthyChildren.org, AAP.org, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, or fact-checking organizations like PolitiFact or FactCheck.org.

Watch this video to find out more. Back to question page.

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