New research from University of Utah communication scholars measured how common low-credibility health content is and who encounters it. The team tracked the web-surfing of more than 1,000 US adults for four weeks and combined survey answers with actual browsing and YouTube-viewing records. Across participants they recorded roughly nine million URLs, including about 500,000 YouTube videos, and then coded domains for health content.
Of 1,055 domains labeled as health sites, 78 (6.8%) were judged low-credibility. Only 13% of participants visited at least one such domain during the study, and those visits represented just 3% of health-related browsing. Yet exposure was highly concentrated: the top 10% of participants accounted for over three-quarters of visits to low-credibility health sites. Traffic was especially heavy among older adults, and the effect was stronger for users who lean right politically.
Referral-path analysis did not show clear flows from Google, Facebook or partisan news outlets. Instead the data pointed to a more insular pattern: people moved between low-credibility sites and often reached them directly. The researchers also found that participants who already believed false health claims or held more conspiratorial views were more likely to encounter dubious content. The authors suggest improving online health information and helping people evaluate content may be particularly important for seniors. The study appears in the journal Nature Aging.
Difficult words
- domain — a website or main internet addressdomains
- exposure — amount of contact people have with something
- concentrated — kept mainly in a small group or place
- insular — closed off and not connected to others
- conspiratorial — based on belief in secret harmful plots
- encounter — to meet or experience something unexpectedlyencounters
- browse — to look at websites or pages onlinebrowsing
- senior — an older adult, often retired personseniors
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think exposure was concentrated in a small group of participants rather than spread evenly? Give reasons based on the article.
- What specific steps could help seniors evaluate online health information more effectively? Give two or three ideas.
- How does the finding that many people reached low-credibility sites directly affect what platforms or public health agencies might do?
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