The most popular type of web search is for health information, according to a new study issued by the Pew Internet Project. The report claims that eight out of ten Internet users rely on the web to learn health facts.
The most popular type of web search is for health information, according to a new study issued by the Pew Internet Project. The report claims that eight out of ten Internet users rely on the web to learn health facts. While the report focuses on racial and class differences in Internet activity, ACSH believes it misses the most important point: that health information found on the web is often unreliable.
“You’re really taking a risk when you rely on the Internet for your health information,” says ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. “It’s important for consumers to check the source. All sorts of ‘quack’ information is available on the Internet. Just because you can find it in a search query doesn’t mean it’s valid.”
