In a recent announcement, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed the launch of a webpage designed to address and curtail what it says is the spread of misinformation related to health and medical topics online. This initiative, known as the “Rumor Control” page invites users to report instances of perceived misinformation on the internet, particularly on social media platforms.
“The growing spread of rumors, misinformation, and disinformation about science, medicine, and the FDA, is putting patients and consumers at risk. We’re here to provide the facts,” the FDA announced.
It concluded by calling on users to check the FDA’s rumor control page to see how the agency was fighting misinformation.
However, this initiative has been met with a wave of criticism from various quarters. Critics argue that the Rumor Control Page could be misused and raises significant concerns over the FDA itself getting involved in policing misinformation when the FDA itself has been accused of spreading misinformation.
This is something the commenters below the announcement on Twitter were quick to point out.
Despite these criticisms, the FDA maintains that the platform is a necessary tool in the fight against health misinformation.
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