Doctor Facebook: Social Media and Health (Mis)Information

Facebook and other social media tools are pervasive in information consumption habits. Health information is a relevant part of information activities and behavior, and its importance has been highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Facebook news feed rises as an information channel for many individuals, who read and share health information for different purposes, including fake news and disinformation sources, disregarding basic assessment criteria, or fact-checking strategies. This chapter explores current knowledge about online health information behavior through social media, focusing on Facebook, Covid-19, and the misinformation phenomenon. A literature review was performed, using 51 recent works (between 2020-2021). The main goals of this chapter are to understand online information behavior in the social media setting; to assess the landscape of fake or misinformed health information transmitted through Facebook; and to evaluate the relationship between Facebook and health information during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results show two dominant research approaches: information behavior analysis, mostly acquisition and sharing activities; and online content analysis, focusing on infodemic, social behavior, and public health authorities’ communication strategies. Despite serious concerns towards misinformation, research reveals a yet uncertain scenario regarding solutions to counter this public health issue.