The Double-Edged Sword: Analyzing the Impact of AI-Driven Health Misinformation on Social Media on Vaccination Hesitancy

  • Samer Muneef Alotaibi et al.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Health Misinformation, Social Media, Vaccination Hesitancy, Public Health, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The spread of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has played an unparalleled role in the spread of health information via social media platforms. Despite AI bringing unparalleled opportunities for health awareness and education, it has a tendency to foster the spread and propagation of health misinformation, particularly vaccination.

This present study takes into account the double effect of health disinformation on social media by artificial intelligence  and its nexus with vaccine skepticism among the masses taking Saudi Arabia as a case reference.

Mixed-methods design was employed, wherein quantitative social media content analysis was employed to social media posts (n=2,847 posts) and cross-sectional survey of 1,200 participants aged 18-65 years old from the Jeddah community. Machine learning classifier were employed to detect AI-generated posts, and vaccination hesitancy was measured using the validated Vaccine Hesitancy Scale.

34.2% of the total sampled accessible health misinformation was generated by AI. Participants in the condition with AI-generated vaccine misinformation reported significantly higher on the hesitancy measure (M=3.78, SD=1.12) compared to the condition with human-generated material (M=2.94, SD=0.98, p<0.001). The association between exposure to AI misinformation and vaccine hesitancy was r=0.67 (p<0.001).

Health misinformation driven by AI constitutes a serious threat to mass health awareness campaigns such as vaccination campaigns. These need to be tackled by pursuing initiatives such as training in AI literacy, platform accountability, and upgraded fact-checking practices at the emergency level.

Author Biography

Samer Muneef Alotaibi et al.

Samer Muneef Alotaibi1, Roba Mohammed Hejazi2, Muhannad Mohammed Arab3,Rayan Abdulaziz Almuallim4, Bader Waleed Rashwan5, Fatmah Salamah Alhejaily6,Roua Safwan Faidah7, Najwan Samih Olian8
1. Pharmacy technician l, Jeddah Dialysis center , King Abdulaziz Medical City Ministry, of National Guard , Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
2. PharmD, Pharmacist I, Jeddah Hemodialysis Care Project, Ministry of National Guard -Health affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
3. Pharmacy technician lll, Jeddah Dialysis center, King Abdulaziz Medical City , Ministry of National Guard , Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
4. Laboratory technician ll, Jeddah Dialysis center , King Abdulaziz Medical City , Ministry of National Guard , Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
5. Laboratory technician II, Jeddah Dialysis Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard , Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
6. Clinical Dietitian l, Jeddah Hemodialysis Care Project , Ministry Of National Guard -Health affairs , Jeddah , Saudi Arabia
7. CSSD specialist, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard , Saudi Arabia, Jeddah,
8. Pharmacist 1, Jeddah Hemodialysis Center, Ministry of National Guard,Saudi Arabia ,Jeddah

Published
2025-01-09
Issue
Volume 2025
Section
Regular Issue

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