Timothy Caulfield

The “backfire effect” is mostly a myth, a broad look at the research suggests Plus: Instagram is fertile ground for conspiracy theories, Apple gives to media literacy, and a terror attack comes with its own media strategy.

Lots of interesting research around backfire effect. Complex, for sure. I think context and topic specific.

But, in general, concern overstated, especially in health / science space www.niemanlab.org/2019/03/the-...

A person's mindset towards aging may play a major role in how a person ages, a new study out of Yale University has revealed. A person's mindset towards aging may play a major role in how a person ages, a new study out of Yale University has revealed.

Study suggests many people end up improving with age, but mindset key www.newsweek.com/new-study-ch...

32% > cognitively

28% > improved physically

From study: "need to instill or magnify the positivity of age beliefs & to redefine aging so that it includes the possibility of improvement."

Your Poop Is Not Reliable, At Least for Now Let’s say you mail your poop to two different companies—not an illegal act, by the way, provided it doesn’t smell or soil anything, and that it’s packaged and labelled appropriately. It also helps if ...

But these microbiome kits are just one more example of scienceploitation (h/t @caulfieldtim.bsky.social). People hear that research is being done, so they expect products, and companies are all too happy to sell them... even if the results are a crap shoot.

www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/...

How Stand Up For Science is trying to 'pull every lever' to win over the public Stand Up For Science has become a formal organization and adopted a new strategy that's more confrontational with grassroots tactics

#GoTeam! 🙏

@standupforscience.bsky.social pulls every lever www.statnews.com/2026/03/06/s... @statnews.com

"...we think people care about science. We think people care about biomedical innovation."

"We think that people care about not getting polio. Like, it’s really simple. That’s our strategy."

💯! Gonna touch on this in my next book (if I ever get to it!).

Ya know, lot of layers to this! Yep, a large portion of Americans continue to vote MAGA despite the overwhelming evidence of evil...

Still, historically, this kind of intense polarization (the other side is evil!) is somewhat unique (justified or not)...

Yep.

Thx, rage politics.

"The U.S. was the only country surveyed where a majority had such negative views of their countrymen."

US: 53% say their fellow citizens are morally BAD.

Canada: 92% say fellow Canadians are GOOD. ❤️

wapo.st/4d4DgLi via @pewresearch.org @washingtonpost.com

Online toxic speech as positioning acts: Hate as discursive mechanisms for othering and belonging - Esteban Morales, Jaigris Hodson, Victoria O’Meara, Anatoliy Gruzd, Philip Mai, 2025 While digital platforms foster a sense of community and identity, they also facilitate harmful exclusionary practices. In this context, toxic and hateful speech...

Toxic speech as positioning acts: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.... by @jhodson.bsky.social @philipmai.com

"...showcases how toxic speech is used to define and reinforce individual and group positionality."

A complex process of "belonging & othering" often underlies "online abuse and hate."

Great piece! Thanks to you & @funsizeimmuninja.bsky.social!🙏

Opinion | Neutrality Is Dangerous in the Face of Medical Misinformation Professional accountability can ensure expertise is used for public good

💯! Yes! This!

Neutrality About Medical Misinformation? www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco... by @drkatiesuleta.bsky.social

"...neutrality is not diplomacy; it's acquiescence.

A direct line can be drawn between neutrality & even tolerance of misinformation and the current state of public health."

RFK Jr. has wide discretion to choose evidence to support vaccine decisions, DOJ argues A Justice Department lawyer argued that the HHS secretary has broad discretion to issue vaccine guidance and choose what evidence to consider.

Who needs science when you can use conspiracy theories, lies, and politically motivated spin to support your health advice?

Sigh.

RFK Jr. has wide discretion to choose evidence to support vaccine decisions, DOJ argues www.statnews.com/2026/03/04/k... via @statnews.com

Why Is the Internet Obsessed With Celebrity Clone Conspiracy Theories? Jim Carrey, Selena Gomez and Avril Lavigne are some of the stars who have found themselves at the center of viral theories circulating on social media.

Now Jim Carrey is a clone?

I've been following & writing about clone angst & conspiracies for decades.

Amazing how theme won't die. Both absurd and telling...

Why Is the Internet Obsessed With Celebrity Clone Conspiracy Theories? www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general...

Confidence as Custodians of Public Health?

YES: Primary care providers, paediatricians, actual scientists 👍

NO: RFK Jr, Dr Oz, et al. 👎

How to tell if doctors and health influencers on social media are AI-generated | Deception Decoded University of Alberta misinformation expert Timothy Caulfield on how tough it is to tell AI-generated doctors and health influencers apart from real ones.

AI generated health influencers are more common.

Much of what they push is harmful BS, but they look ridiculously convincing.

My take on this problem on CTV News: www.ctvnews.ca/video/decept...

Inside Mexico’s stem-cell industry Researchers in the country are calling for stronger regulation of treatments that many people make long journeys to receive.

Inside Mexico’s [mostly bunk] stem-cell industry www.nature.com/articles/d41... by @gvconroy.bsky.social @nature.com

Me: Celeb endorsements (looking at you 👀 Kim K & Chris Hemsworth) can create "impression that these therapies are ready for prime time."

Influencing the Influencers: How Health Experts Are Partnering With Content Creators to Fight Misinformation Online

Influencing the Influencers: www.jmir.org/2026/1/e93450 via @jmirpub.bsky.social

"By offering training and support to content creators, public health advocates can improve the quality of health information on social media platforms."

For me, cuz of methods, most interesting / worrisome finding is trend… getting worse.

Deeply disturbing.

A third of Gen Z men agree a wife should obey husband www.kcl.ac.uk/news/almost-...

"31% of Gen Z men agree that a wife should always obey her husband & one third (33%) say a husband should have the final word on important decisions..."

Online survey, so caution. Still... ugh.

What to know before asking an AI chatbot for health advice Tech companies are pushing new health chatbots, but experts say you still need to talk to your doctor.

What to know before asking an AI chatbot for health advice apnews.com/article/chat...

"If you’re having worrisome symptoms, skip AI"

"...approach AI programs with 'a degree of healthy skepticism.'"

Chatbots "often stumble when interacting with humans."

Me: “We need to watch the hype. History tells us that these therapies often (very often) don’t pan out as promised.

I worry that this study and the media surrounding it will be exploited by clinics pushing unproven products and therapies.”

Good analysis, @stemcells.bsky.social 🙏

Babies’ Gut Health Is the New Obsession for Parents—and Startups Companies offer tests, supplements and guidance—like petting zoos and dirt piles—with the promise of improving infants’ health.

Exploitive nonsense. Grrr.

And a good example of "scienceploitation" – using the language of a real & exciting area of science to sell bunk.

Reality: science ain't there!

Babies’ Gut Health Is the New Obsession for Parents—and Startups www.wsj.com/health/welln...

On the same page? Experts are mostly, but not always aligned about disinformation in times of generative AI | HKS Misinformation Review We conducted an expert survey of almost a hundred academics, fact checkers, and journalists who actively work towards mitigating disinformation and providing policy advice in the European context to e...

Experts are mostly, but not always aligned about disinformation in times of generative AI: misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/on-t...

Strong agreement on risks: AI-generated disinformation "may cause confusion about what is real and what is fake."

Scientists create autism panel, citing RFK Jr.’s politicization of research The scientists launched the independent autism advisory panel to counter what they see as the politicization of research by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🚨 Need more action like this...👇

Scientists create autism panel, citing RFK Jr.’s politicization of research wapo.st/4baa5Em

Will "speak out against misinformation" and "create a research agenda that reflects the progress and promise of autism science..."

Does being 'manly' make you healthier and happier? The top 5 reasons the answer is … nope | CBC Documentaries In the documentary Harder Better Faster Stronger, misinformation expert Timothy Caulfield investigates if there are any health benefits to embracing traditional masculine norms.

We need to address men's health.

But does being 'manly' make you healthier and happier? Nope

My take: www.cbc.ca/documentarie...

The embrace of traditional masculine norms associated < wellbeing & < health. Ignore manosphere BS.

Soon: on CBC's The Current with @mattgalloway.bsky.social. 📻

AI health misinformation is getting harder to spot. Canadians are falling for it, expert warns Nearly nine in 10 Canadians turn to the internet for health information, according to a recent survey from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), but many of them are encountering false or misleadin...

AI health #misinformation is getting harder to spot. Canadians are falling for it, expert warns www.ctvnews.ca/health/artic... via CTV News

Me: “And very recent studies tell us that when AI images are included in content, we’re more likely to fall for misinformation.”

Harder Better Faster Stronger | Films | CBC Gem Misinformation expert Timothy Caulfield investigates the purported ‘crisis in masculinity,’ debunks toxic men’s health myths, and meets with people challenging traditional masculine norms.

Tomorrow AM I'm chatting with @mattgalloway.bsky.social on CBC's The Current about #masculinity and the #manosphere.

What impact is it having on health & wellbeing?

Please check out our @cbcgem.bsky.social doc on point! gem.cbc.ca/harder-bette... 💪

Hate, hate, hate seeing QUACK wellness influencers get profiled like this...

It is endless. When will the pop culture universe learn?

Needed: More science, less bunk...

Another great analysis by @lastweektonight.com.

Sum: get the F*CK off X.

The world is a mess.

I’m hoping one more kitten video, of a young Professor Maxwell, will help.

We could all use some of his positive energy.

#Meow. 🐱