Update on social media and otolaryngology: Pertinent positives and definite downsides

Born, Hayley

Professional society guidelines are useful as a starting point as well. 9-12 It should be pointed out that the otolaryngology leadership has not yet released any such guidelines. In an age when misinformation is spreading faster than ever, highlighted especially during the COVID 19 pandemic, it can be argued that countering falsehoods is a professional responsibility. 13 Happily, it has been shown that social media really can combat misinformation. 14-18 A best practice exemplified by many successful social media professionals is to cite primary sources for your content. Much of the established body of research looks at the spread of medical misinformation on social media and whether social media can be used to change patient perceptions, knowledge, or behavior. 19,20 A recent review examined the use of social media as a medical education tool for providers. 21 They review the rise of “knowledge translation” in social media friendly formats like infographics or visual abstracts. 22 Dr. Michael Johns (@laryngologist) and Dr. Jennifer Villwock (@jenvillwockmd), my co-panelists, have previously published about and encouraged the use of visual abstracts within the otolaryngology community. 22,23 This is one of very few articles within otolaryngology related to social media. Most examine the rise of social media by quantifying the number of accounts and content that exist in our field. 1,24-31 These publications typically review current uses of otolaryngology in our specialty and a majority