Misinformation Alerts
Knowing what misinformation is being shared can help you generate effective messaging.
These insights are based on a combination of automated media monitoring and manual review by public health data analysts. Media data are publicly available data from many sources, such as social media, broadcast television, newspapers and magazines, news websites, online video, blogs, and more. Analysts from the Public Good Projects triangulate this data along with other data from fact checking organizations and investigative sources to provide an accurate, but not exhaustive, list of currently circulating misinformation.
Misinformation Alerts
Knowing what misinformation is being shared can help you generate effective messaging.
These insights are based on a combination of automated media monitoring and manual review by public health data analysts. Media data are publicly available data from many sources, such as social media, broadcast television, newspapers and magazines, news websites, online video, blogs, and more. Analysts from the Public Good Projects triangulate this data along with other data from fact checking organizations and investigative sources to provide an accurate, but not exhaustive, list of currently circulating misinformation.
Alerts are categorized as high, medium, and low risk.
- High risk alerts: Narratives with widespread circulation across communities, high engagement, exponential velocity, and a high potential to impact health decisions. Are often more memorable than accurate information.
- Medium risk alerts: Narratives that are circulating in priority populations and pose some threat to health. Potential for further spread due to the tactics used or because of predicted velocity. Often highlights the questions and concerns of people.
- Low risk alerts: Narratives that are limited in reach, don’t impact your community, or lack the qualities necessary for future spread. May indicate information gaps, confusion, or concerns.
The false, meaningless claim that COVID-19 vaccines are “98 times” more harmful than COVID-19 is being circulated by right-wing blogs, social media accounts, and a popular conspiracy web broadcast. The claim is based not on a scientific study but on a non-peer reviewed risk-benefit analysis of COVID-19 boosters for university students.
Recommendation: 
A U.S. senator used a clip of Dr. Anthony Fauci saying that natural immunity is better than vaccination in an attempt to discredit the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director. The senator, who frequently promotes vaccine misinformation, claims that the video is proof that Dr. Fauci lied about the effectiveness of natural immunity against COVID-19.
Recommendation:
The false claim that Denmark banned COVID-19 vaccination for those under 50 has been circulating on social media for the past week. Many posts insinuate that the vaccines are being banned due to safety concerns.
Recommendation:
A conspiracy news article claims that a group of over 400 doctors, scientists, and health professionals have declared an international medical crisis due to COVID-19 vaccine injuries. The article has been shared by several high-profile social media accounts.
Recommendation:
A social media post claims that the U.S. government signed an agreement with Moderna about COVID-19 vaccines shortly before the pandemic. The post includes a video of a political commentator falsely claiming that the NIH has joint ownership of the Moderna vaccine and helped orchestrate the pandemic for profit.
Recommendation:
A social media post falsely claims that 32 Canadian doctors “died suddenly” after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The post does not provide any evidence that the vaccines were linked to the deaths.
Recommendation: 
A video shares the results of a CDC report that found that more than half of children under the age of 2 experienced systemic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine. The report examined VAERS responses for infants and toddlers after COVID-19 vaccines were approved for the age group.
Recommendation:
Multiple social media accounts have shared an article from a conspiracy website that claims the Israeli government covered up COVID-19 vaccine injuries in official reports. The only evidence to support this claim is several short video clips of what appears to be an advisory committee discussing vaccine safety. Some posts falsely claim that Israel’s Ministry of Health did not begin monitoring COVID-19 vaccine safety until a year after the vaccines were introduced.
Recommendation:
Viral social media posts are falsely claiming that ivermectin is an approved COVID-19 treatment, while vaccines and masks have failed. The most common claim is that the National Institutes of Health recently added ivermectin to the list of drugs approved to treat COVID-19.
Recommendation:
Several social media posts shared an image of an outdated U.K. government document advising against COVID-19 vaccination in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data. The posts falsely claim that the government recently updated its guidance and is no longer recommending the vaccine for this population.
Recommendation:
Alerts are categorized as high, medium, and low risk.
- High risk alerts: Narratives with widespread circulation across communities, high engagement, exponential velocity, and a high potential to impact health decisions. Are often more memorable than accurate information.
- Medium risk alerts: Narratives that are circulating in priority populations and pose some threat to health. Potential for further spread due to the tactics used or because of predicted velocity. Often highlights the questions and concerns of people.
- Low risk alerts: Narratives that are limited in reach, don’t impact your community, or lack the qualities necessary for future spread. May indicate information gaps, confusion, or concerns.
Vaccine Misinformation Guide
Get practical tips for addressing misinformation in this new guide. Click image to download.
Vaccine Misinformation Guide
Get practical tips for addressing misinformation in this new guide. Click image to download, or see highlights.