Interventions to counter health misinformation on social media during pandemics: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: The rapid global spread of pandemics is often accompanied by a parallel "infodemic," an overwhelming surge of information on social media that includes harmful health misinformation and disinformation. This phenomenon poses a significant threat to public health by eroding trust, undermining official guidance, and promoting dangerous behaviors. This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence on the effectiveness and community reach of interventions designed to counter health misinformation on social media during pandemics.Methods: Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search of the Scopus and Web of Science databases was conducted to identify experimental and quasi-experimental studies evaluating counter-misinformation interventions. Data were extracted and narratively synthesized.Results: The search identified nine eligible studies (total N = 8,667 participants) evaluating a range of interventions, including proactive strategies like psychological inoculation, gamification, and accuracy nudges; corrective measures such as debunking and fact-checking; and community-led approaches involving peer support. Proactive interventions, particularly those using gamification and inoculation, demonstrated effectiveness in improving misinformation recognition and building cognitive resistance. Corrective strategies like fact-checking and debunking were found to significantly reduce belief in false claims, with some evidence of durable effects. Community-led and peer-support models on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp proved effective in reducing the prevalence of misinformation and fostering supportive online environments.Conclusion: A multi-layered approach combining scalable, platform-level nudges with targeted, community-contextualized educational and corrective strategies appears most promising. Future research should prioritize standardizing outcome measures and evaluating interventions in more diverse global populations and on emerging social media platforms.