19.4% of videos turning up in a TikTok search request contain false and misleading information says a new report
The drug is deadly if not taken as prescribed, and yet 20% of the first 20 search results for the drug are for those looking to brew up their own version of the drug. And despite claims made by some, “hydroxychloroquine” does not cure COVID. One particular DIY video shows a woman in a kitchen who says, “About three, four days ago I made ‘the cure’ … to what’s going around. It’s actually called hydroxychloroquine. It’s made out of grapefruit peel and lemon peel and it’s slow simmered and…hydroxychloroquine, quinine, can heal anything.”
Screenshot from a video found on TikTok search that recommends the potentially deadly self production of hydroxychloroquine
While the word COVID is not specifically mentioned in the clip, it is apparent what she means when she says that her homemade concoction “can heal anything.” The thing to remember here is that TikTok users are usually teens and young adults, perfect demographics for those who get their jollies by misleading the public whether for profit, politics, or pleasure.
50% of the videos TikTok returned when searching for mRNA vaccines contain false and misleading statements
For example, when searching for “climate change,” TikTok recommends that users search for “climate change debunked” and “climate change doesn’t exist.” As you might imagine, searching on TikTok for “Was the 2020 election stolen?” returns a large list of baseless lies and misinformation including one video that provides comments saying that the “2020 election was overturned. President Trump should get the next two years and he should also be able to run for the next four years. Since he won the election, he deserves it.”
Counting on videos searched for on TikTok to give you the truth on certain topics might not kill you unless the topic you are searching for is about your health. Five out of the first 10 videos returned when searching for mRNA vaccine on TikTok, contained false and misleading information. That is a 50% rate. And if you follow bad information in this category, you could end up dead.
Vaccines that use this type of technology include the Moderna and Pfizer Coivid shots. A person seriously not sure whether they need to take the vaccine might get misleading info resulting in a deadly decision.
Other topics ripe with misinformation on TikTok search include searching for a way to perform a DIY abortion. Such results recommended drinking mugwort tea and taking large amounts of vitamin C; neither method is safe or effective.
