The era of social media fact-checking programs appears to be winding down, raising concerns about the unchecked spread of misinformation—particularly when it comes to health and medical content.

Last month, Meta (the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads) announced it would discontinue its fact-checking initiative, which previously aimed to combat medical misinformation. Critics argue that this move was intended to appease former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened to take legal action against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Similarly, X (formerly Twitter) ended its own fact-checking system after Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022. With big tech companies scaling back content moderation, experts believe misinformation is set to rise—especially as social media remains the primary news source for younger generations.

Can You Trust the Information You See Online?

According to David Greene, senior attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, social media has never been a reliable source for health information, even before these platforms removed their fact-checking measures.

"It's right to be concerned about the decline in accurate information," Greene said. "But we also have to ask ourselves—were these platforms ever a good source of health advice to begin with?"

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Medical misinformation is often tied to product sales, according to Laurel Bristow, an infectious disease researcher at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health. She warns users to be wary of self-proclaimed health influencers pushing supplements and miracle cures.

"One of the best things you can do is avoid spreading misinformation yourself," Bristow advised. "If something seems too good or too bad to be true, take a moment to verify it before sharing."

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She also reminded people that scientific advancements happen gradually, and overnight medical breakthroughs are rare.

How Gen Z Gets Its News—and Why That Matters

A recent Pew Research Center study found that:

With Gen Z increasingly relying on social platforms for information, experts believe they have a key role to play in stopping misinformation.

Gen Z: The New Fact-Checkers?

Bristow believes that young content creators should actively debunk misinformation, especially when it comes from other Gen Z influencers.

"We're always going to have people in every generation who chase clicks and engagement by spreading falsehoods," she said. "But the reality is, misinformation spreads faster than the truth. Gen Z needs to step in and set the record straight."

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Dr. Valerie E. Cadet, professor of microbiology and immunology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, agrees that peer influence is crucial in the fight against misinformation.

"I might be an expert in infectious diseases, but my kids don't listen to me, they listen to their peers. So we need to encourage young people to share trusted content."

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Her approach to handling misinformation at home?

"I tell my kids, 'That's fine, you'll see it—but you can't trust it.' Then I tell them to go look for factual sources, like trusted news outlets."

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What's Next for Social Media and Misinformation?

With fact-checking programs disappearing and AI-driven moderation systems taking over, it's uncertain how effective platforms will be at filtering out harmful content. Some experts worry that without human oversight, misinformation will continue to flourish.

The challenge now lies in empowering younger generations to critically analyze the content they consume and become active participants in promoting truth over misinformation.

As social media evolves, the question remains: Will Gen Z rise to the challenge of fighting misinformation, or will false narratives continue to spread unchecked?