Scientists take to TikTok to challenge wellness woo, vaccine denialism and climate denialism

Credit: Duke University/David Pickel
Credit: Duke University/David Pickel

One of Simon Clark’s most popular TikTok videos begins with him playing the part of a clueless climate contrarian. Adopting the overconfident tone that is common among social-media influencers, he proclaims: “Renewables are a scam!”

…

He is one of many scientists and medical experts who are countering the flood of anti-science advice and rhetoric across social-media platforms.

According to a 2025 report …, 65% of people worldwide now consume video on social media. … But a lot of that ‘news’ is created by anti-science influencers … [who] promote climate denialism, conspiracy theories, vaccine scepticism, autism myths, sham treatments and other pseudoscience.

Mis- and disinformation are distorting science and public policy. Subscribe to our Daily and Weekly Digests for incisive coverage of ‘disruptive’ innovations in AI, agricultural biotechnology, food, chemicals, nuclear energy, vaccines, and other disruptive innovations.

… Mikhail Varshavski, better known online as Doctor Mike (@doctormike), spends half of his week as a family-medicine physician and the other half creating content for his [millions of online followers].

…

“When … Secretary Kennedy tweets something that is obviously scientifically inaccurate, wrong, no question about it, he gets 10 million views on that post. And when the American Medical Association tries to fact-check it with their own tweet, they get 10 likes,” Varshavski says. … “I hope to fill that void by putting out as much content as possible on a weekly basis,” he adds.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here

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