People who use social media to find vaccine information are more likely to be misinformed than those who rely on traditional media, according to a study published in the journal Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review.
Researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia conducted two surveys — one in spring and another in fall 2019 — which collectively polled 2,500 U.S. adults.
Researchers found "worrying" levels of misinformation about vaccines among survey respondents, including 18% of respondents saying that it is accurate to state that vaccines cause autism and 15 percent saying that it is accurate to state that vaccines are full of toxins.
Between the two survey periods, the levels of vaccine misinformation changed for about 19 percent of those polled. Of that group, 64 percent were more misinformed in the fall than in the spring.
The surveys show that media consumption patterns can help explain the changes. Respondents who reported increased exposure to information about measles and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine on social media were more likely to grow more misinformed about vaccines, while those who reported an increased exposure to these vaccines on traditional media platforms were more likely to gain accurate information about vaccines.
The researchers said that while correlations between media consumption and attitudes toward vaccines is not causation, the study could hold implications for determining whether pro-vaccination campaigns are effective and the role of social media in spreading misinformation.