The data: Just 7% of US consumers who use social media to get health information say it is extremely or very accurate, according to a new Pew Research survey.

• 47% say it’s not very (37%) or not at all (10%) accurate, according to a new Pew Research survey.
• 44% say health information on social media is somewhat accurate.

Other sources are seen as far more accurate: 65% of people who get health information from healthcare providers rate it as highly accurate, and 48% say the same of major health websites, per Pew.

Why it matters: US consumers across generations use social media channels for health information.

• 31% of US consumers who go online for health information typically use social media to look up health-related information—the third most-used digital source behind search engines (84%) and medical information websites (39%), according to EMARKETER’s January 2026 US Digital Health survey.
• The share of people using social channels for health information is higher among younger generations: 53% of Gen Z and 37% of millennials look up information on social media platforms.
• YouTube is the top social platform for finding health information among all consumers, used by 66%, followed by Facebook (50%), Instagram (42%), TikTok (36%), and Reddit (23%), per our survey.

Most people view social media health content as convenient versus accurate. In Pew’s survey, 40% of people who get health information from social media say it’s extremely or very convenient, and 30% say it’s easy to understand, highlighting the gap between usability and perceived accuracy.

Implications for healthcare and pharma marketers: As consumers question the accuracy of health information on social media, overly promotional content may turn them off and push them to other sources. Skepticism raises the bar for credibility, making clear, factual, and transparent content more important.

It also increases risk for brands. Even well-produced content may not be seen as credible if it lacks sourcing or evidence. As social channels are judged more harshly, inconsistencies there may lower overall brand perception.

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