Addressing Health Misinformation

HSLS Live Classes

Identifying and Combating Health Misinformation

Level: Novice

Health misinformation is a widespread problem, with false or misleading information about both longstanding health concerns and emergent situations spreading rapidly. Sometimes questionable health information is obvious, but it can also be difficult to recognize and can potentially reach millions of people. This class will discuss strategies for identifying health misinformation and contextually appropriate methods for addressing it.

Upon completing this class, you should be able to:
  • Define health misinformation and its subtypes.
  • Describe why health misinformation spreads so readily online.
  • Evaluate information sources to identify likely examples of health misinformation.
  • Implement a communication strategy for combating health misinformation.

Event Details

Date:
Time: to
Mode: Zoom
Location: Online, Online - synchronous
Instructor: Rachel Suppok
Class materials will be shared with attendees.
This class will not be recorded.
Register for this class

When Seeing Isn’t Believing: Identifying Visual Health Misinformation

Level: Novice

Discussion of health literacy and the fight against health misinformation often centers around fact-checking or debunking written materials. However, identifying misleading visualizations and imagery is also a vital skill for navigating the current health information landscape. This interactive session will give you a variety of skills to analyze visual information. Deceptive imagery types covered will include graphs and charts, manipulated images in scientific publications, out-of-context images, and AI-generated imagery.

Upon completing this class, you should be able to:
  • Explain why visual misinformation is particularly convincing.
  • Recognize how data presentation methods can shape the message conveyed by data.
  • Identify out of context images and locate their original context.
  • Describe the scope and implications of deliberately manipulated images in biomedical research publications.
  • Distinguish between AI-generated and authentic images and videos.

Date:
Time: to
Mode: Zoom
Location: Online, Online - synchronous
Instructor: Rebekah Miller
Class materials will be shared with attendees.
This class will not be recorded.
Register for this class

HSLS Self-Paced Learning

Visual Health Misinformation

Discussion of health literacy and the fight against health misinformation often centers around fact-checking or debunking written materials. However, identifying misleading visualizations and imagery is also a vital skill for navigating the current health information landscape. This module will give you a variety of skills to analyze visual information. Deceptive imagery types covered will include graphs and charts, manipulated images in scientific publications, out-of-context images, and AI-generated imagery.

Format: Learning module with mainly video
HSLS Contact: Kelsey Cowles, MLIS, HSLS Contact: Rebekah Miller, MLIS, HSLS Contact: Rachel Suppok, MLIS
Level: Novice
Upon completing this class you should be able to:
  • Explain why visual misinformation is particularly convincing.
  • Recognize how data presentation methods can shape the message conveyed by data.
  • Identify out of context images and locate their original context.
  • Describe the scope and implications of deliberately manipulated images in biomedical research publications.
  • Distinguish between AI-generated and authentic images and videos.
Access this module

Identifying and Combating Health Misinformation

Health misinformation is a widespread problem, with false or misleading information about both longstanding health concerns and emergent situations spreading rapidly. Sometimes questionable health information is obvious, but it can also be difficult to recognize and can potentially reach millions of people. This module will discuss strategies for identifying health misinformation and contextually appropriate methods for addressing it.

Format: Learning module with mainly video
HSLS Contact: Kelsey Cowles, MLIS, HSLS Contact: Rachel Suppok, MLIS, HSLS Contact: Rebekah Miller, MLIS
Level: Novice
Upon completing this class you should be able to:
  • Define health misinformation and its subtypes.
  • Describe why health misinformation spreads so readily online.
  • Evaluate information sources to identify likely examples of health misinformation.
  • Implement a communication strategy for combating health misinformation.
Access this module