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.
A so-called “analysis” of CDC data falsely claims to have identified 780,000 reports of serious vaccine injuries during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, including Bell's Palsy, heart inflammation, miscarriages, and seizures. Vaccine opponents are circulating the false claim that 8 percent of COVID-19 vaccine recipients, or 18 million people, experienced adverse reactions so severe that they sought medical care.
Recommendation: 
A trending social media video features a man claiming to be a rancher who alleges that “live” mRNA vaccines are being tested on livestock and that 26 percent of those tested have had serious adverse reactions. The video claims that the meat from the animals contains “live vaccines.” A conspiracy theorist sharing the video repeats the myth that COVID-19 vaccines force the body to “mass produce the deadly HIV spike protein.”
Recommendation: 
A right-wing political commentator claims that governments encouraging vaccination after “the mRNA vaccine was shown not to stop transmission” was “the most evil thing ever done.”
Recommendation:
A circulating clip features a vaccine-opposing talk show host criticizing pandemic mitigation practices like wearing masks, social distancing, COVID-19 tests, and even hand washing, while promoting the idea that natural immunity is superior to vaccine-induced immunity.
Recommendation:
Several posts baselessly claim that Japan is banning mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and blood donations from vaccinated people.
Recommendation: 
A preprint of an FDA study investigated the risk of febrile seizures following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in children ages 2 to 5. The study found a slight increase in risk the day after the Moderna vaccination compared to the control period of eight to 63 days after vaccination. Vaccine opponents are circulating the study as proof that the vaccines are not safe for young children.
Recommendation:
A recent study investigating adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines is being misrepresented online. One popular post, which does not link to or even name the study, highlights that the researchers found that people with prior COVID-19 infections were more likely to have adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination. The post falsely claims that vaccination after infection is “all risk, no benefit.”
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A popular conspiracy theorist aired a segment falsely claiming that COVID-19 vaccines contain toxic DNA and cancer viruses. The video also repeats the disproven claim that cancer rates are “exploding” due to COVID-19 vaccines.
Recommendation:
A controversial physician whose board certification was revoked for promoting “false or inaccurate medical misinformation” claimed in a recent interview to have treated hundreds of patients with COVID-19 vaccine injuries. The physician insists without evidence that 70 percent of the people he treats have so-called “long vax, not long COVID.” Posts sharing the interview claim that “long COVID is code for vaccine injuries.”
Recommendation:
The CDC allegedly released 148 FOIA-requested pages related to myocarditis events following COVID-19 vaccination that were heavily redacted. Critics have accused the agency of a lack of transparency.
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.