Even as misinformation proliferates across the Internet, sites containing low-credibility health information remain relatively scarce and unseen.
That’s according to new research from University of Utah communication scholars who tracked web-surfing activities of more than 1,000 U.S. adults for four weeks. But the findings, published in Nature Aging, illuminate a dark side. Traffic to such sites is concentrated heavily among older adults, especially among those who lean right politically.
This indicates the most vulnerable population is the most likely to be exposed to potentially harmful health-related information online, according to lead author Ben Lyons, an associate professor in the Department of Communication.
Good news with a catch
“It’s sort of good news, though. Overall, the levels are…