Teenagers Struggle to Identify Fake Health News, Study Finds

Nearly half of teenagers cannot distinguish between fake and genuine health information online, according to alarming new research published in Frontiers in Psychology. The study reveals that only 48% of teenage participants trusted accurate health messages more than fabricated ones, while 41% considered both equally trustworthy.

Researchers at Comenius University, led by Dr. Radomír Masaryk, investigated how adolescents evaluate health information in an increasingly complex digital landscape. The findings highlight significant gaps in critical media literacy among young people who spend substantial time online.

“There has been an explosion of misinformation in the area of health during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Masaryk. “As adolescents are frequent users of the internet, we usually expect that they already know how to approach and appraise online information, but the opposite seems to be true.”

The research team presented 300 secondary school students aged 16-19 with seven short messages about the health benefits of various fruits and vegetables. These messages were categorized as either fake, true neutral, or true with editorial elements like superlatives, grammatical errors, appeals to authority, bold typeface, or clickbait headlines.

Most concerning was that 11% of participants actually considered legitimate health messages less trustworthy than fake ones. The study also found that teenagers generally failed to recognize poor editing as a signal of questionable content reliability.

The only editorial element that significantly diminished perceived trustworthiness was clickbait headlines, suggesting that teens have developed some awareness of this particular manipulation tactic while remaining vulnerable to other forms of misinformation.

Health misinformation represents a growing public health concern, particularly as social media platforms have accelerated the spread of dubious health claims. Previous research has documented how incomplete or inaccurate online health content can lead to poor health decisions, increased risk-taking behaviors, and erosion of trust in legitimate health authorities.

Teenagers represent a uniquely vulnerable demographic. As “digital natives,” they are among the world’s most connected population segments, with approximately 71% of global youth regularly accessing the internet. Their extensive online presence, combined with developmental stages characterized by identity formation and increased independence in decision-making, creates a perfect storm for misinformation exposure.

Research has previously established that media depictions can significantly influence adolescent behavior. Positive portrayals of risky activities like smoking and drinking correlate with increased risk-taking, while quality health information can promote positive lifestyle changes, better self-care, and improved treatment compliance.

The study revealed insights into how teenagers evaluate online credibility. They tend to focus on structural website features, including language style and visual presentation. Content from authoritative organizations, trusted brands, or sites with professional-sounding language typically garners more trust.

Dr. Masaryk emphasized that the findings underscore an urgent need for better educational approaches. “Analytical thinking and scientific reasoning are skills that help distinguish false from true health messages,” he noted.

The researchers recommend comprehensive interventions focusing on health literacy, media literacy training, and the development of critical thinking skills. These educational efforts would help teenagers identify editorial and content cues that signal information quality, potentially protecting them from the harmful consequences of health misinformation.

As social media platforms continue to serve as primary information sources for young people, equipping them with the tools to navigate this complex information environment becomes increasingly essential for public health outcomes and individual wellbeing.