IN THIS EDITION
ON THE RISE
Weekly Watch of Emerging Disinformation Risks
Fake doctors, real scams: health disinformation exploits desperation
An old saying goes, “there are no atheists in foxholes”. When facing the gravest danger and the deepest desperation, humans generally lose their rationality and cling to anything that may give them hope. During war, people who never believed in any god can fervently pray. During a serious illness, perfectly normal people who usually laugh at conspiracy theories can easily fall down a rabbit hole of miraculous cures and alternative treatments. Such beliefs have always existed, but now, with social media becoming the source of information for a growing number of people while generally failing to counter the viral circulation of disinformation, the situation looks worse than before.
According to EDMO’s monitoring, health-related disinformation accounted for 7% of total detected disinformation in the EU in August, and the same share was recorded in July. This share does not include Covid-19-related disinformation, which is monitored separately and accounted for 2% in July and 4% in August, and which often has similar characteristics.
Within the broader category of health-related disinformation, there are quite different subcategories: false news about sunscreen being responsible for cancer, for example, circulated extensively during the summer in many countries. Information about Hantavirus was quickly followed by waves of fearmongering disinformation and the spread of conspiracy theories. False claims that mammography causes cancer are sadly an evergreen issue. Disinformation about vaccines being generally linked to autism has been boosted by the Trump administration and circulated widely outside the U.S., and so on.
“Disinformation about miraculous cures” is one of these subcategories, perhaps the most despicable, leveraging the desperation of people who are facing their nightmares. Such claims are nothing new, but now we have an entire industry that profits from selling — largely unchallenged — false hopes at scale on social media, leveraging AI to create fake doctors and experts, to generate and disseminate false content (news, videos, images), sometimes relying on non-existent scientific studies, often circulating scams, and so on. On top of the scammers that spread this kind of content, to profit from the sales of false remedies, there are now disinformation influencers who spread the same lies because such content is likely to go viral, and generate income for them through the monetization scheme of platforms. This way, remedies that have zero scientific basis end up looking legitimate, widely circulated, corroborated by numerous pieces of evidence, and they easily deceive people who are already in a fragile state.
Blaming the victims is always wrong, but in this case it is more wrong than ever. Almost anyone in a condition of desperation could fall into these traps. Then the blame should instead be directed at the consistent inability to effectively protect people from scams and demonstrably false, even if engaging, content. Regulating gigantic economic players based in the U.S., like social media platforms, and enforcing those regulations is now more politically difficult and economically inconvenient than ever for the EU and its member states. But it is the right thing to do, and it can literally save lives.
ZOOM-IN
A Closer Look at Cases Detected by the EDMO Network
Itinerant healers, charlatans, and mountebanks are figures with deep historical roots, stretching from pre-Hippocratic Greece to Imperial Rome and developing over the centuries across Europe. Their presence started declining in the modern era, when advances in pharmaceutical chemistry, the experimental scientific method, and strict laws governing the practice of medicine ultimately relegated quackery to the realm of illegality and fraud. But today, AI-generated doctors, fabricated endorsements and selective evidence widely distributed on social media are gaining ground in the digital information space as a post-modern form of quackery.
Recent examples include the promotion of supplements such as magnesium or anti-parasitic drugs such as mebendazole, presented as established cures to serious and sometimes uncurable diseases. Much health-related disinformation aims at making profit on people’s despair, while pushing anti-establishment narratives. Users can protect themselves by checking out expert credentials, seeking balanced evidence, recognizing uncertainty, and consulting qualified healthcare professionals before acting.
Fake doctors on YouTube are behind 100,000 misleading videos
The article reveals a growing network of more than 1,000 AI-generated “doctors” operating on YouTube, collectively producing around 100,000 misleading videos in 30 languages. Some of these fake doctors target Danish audiences, using realistic-looking identities and medical advice to appear trustworthy. For example, fictional doctors such as Sofie Larsen provide health advice to older men about prostate problems, sexual health, and lifestyle choices. While some recommendations may sound harmless, others promote scientifically unsupported claims, including supposed cures for serious diseases. According to the article, many channels also make money through subscriptions, donations, or sales of products such as books and supplements.
TjekDet has covered the “fake doctor” phenomenon rather extensively over the last weeks and gathered a substantial body of evidence about AI-generated doctors, and reviews deceiving consumers with unsupported medical claims, and sometimes abusing the brands of renown local hospitals to fabricate credibility. On this basis, TiekDet points to some recognizeable warning signs for spotting a dubious health experts: they show no uncertainty; they lack objectivity and rather indulge in emotional language and personal attacks on critics; they cherry-pick evidence by highlighting only studies supporting their claims, while ignoring contrary evidence.
Magnesium is not a proven remedy for ADHD
Posts on TikTok claim that magnesium can help control ADHD symptoms and that magnesium deficiency may worsen the condition. Research does show that children with ADHD have, on average, lower magnesium levels than children without ADHD. However, this association does not prove that magnesium deficiency causes ADHD or makes its symptoms worse. Studies are also inconsistent, with some finding no difference or even higher magnesium levels. Researchers note that differences in participants and measurement methods may explain these conflicting results. ADHD medication could potentially contribute indirectly to nutritional deficiencies by reducing appetite, but there is no evidence that it causes magnesium deficiency. Evidence for magnesium supplements as an ADHD treatment is similarly weak. A few small studies suggest modest improvements in behaviour and attention, but some combine magnesium with other nutrients, making its specific effect unclear. Larger, well-controlled studies are needed before magnesium can be recommended.
Posts touting mebendazole as cancer treatment go beyond the science
“Massive bombshell: the cancer industry is hiding the cure!”, this is what a viral post on Facebook claims, referring to mebendazole – an anti-parasitic drug – as a hidden cure for cancer. The claim points to a 2021 Johns Hopkins University patent for a modified form of mebendazole and suggests that the institution is suppressing an inexpensive treatment. However, experts explain that the patent does not demonstrate that the drug cures cancer. Mebendazole has shown promising effects in laboratory and preclinical cancer research, and researchers believe it may have potential for repurposing in oncology. Nevertheless, its effectiveness in treating human cancer has not been established through sufficiently large clinical trials. Researcher Gregory Riggins, a co-inventor of the patent, says the drug may eventually prove useful for certain situations, but it is unlikely to benefit all cancers or patients. Experts also warn against self-medication because mebendazole can cause drug interactions and requires monitoring liver problems and anemia. The article concludes that patients should not replace proven cancer treatments with unproven mebendazole.
ELECTION BEAT
Tracking electoral disinformation through EDMO Hubs
No vote fraud is happening in Sweden, contrary to viral claims
Amid a wave of “voter fraud” claims circulating on social media, political scientists Jan Teorell and John Högström tell Källkritikbyrån (NORDIS Hub Partner) that nothing indicates deliberate fraud is occurring in Sweden’s election. Most viral incidents involve missing ballot papers at polling stations, filmed by parties including Malmölistan, Medborgerlig samling, and Kristna familjepartiet.
Researchers say such gaps are common and usually due to replenishment delays or voters removing rival ballots, not coordinated manipulation, though a 2022 study found roughly 40% of election officials had witnessed some form of ballot-paper sabotage.
Separately, the Sweden Democrats in Åtvidaberg criticized a polling site for turning away a voter over political clothing; the Election Authority clarified voters can’t be refused for their attire, though officials and party representatives face stricter rules.
Experts also dismissed unfounded claims that Election Authority head Anna Nyqvist is a Social Democrat, noting she has no role in vote counting. Similar fraud narratives circulated in 2022 and 2024, driven by a small number of highly active accounts rather than reflecting broad public distrust.
Once friends, now “traitors”: How Latvia’s parties are fighting for the Russian-speaking vote
Ahead of Latvia’s October 3 parliamentary election, four parties are competing for the fractured Russian-speaking vote once unified under “Harmony,” which collapsed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Harmony Center” is rebranding around former mayor Ušakovs’s legacy while accusing rival splinter leaders of betrayal. “For Stability!,” which won the Russian-speaking vote in 2022, has since lost most of its MPs and its exiled leader, and now frames Ukraine aid as unwanted foreign entanglement.
Stepanenko’s “Sovereign Power,” polling strongest of the four at around 11.8%, pairs local community outreach with pledges to redirect defense spending and end conscription. The ethnically Latvian LPV, led by Šlesers, courts Russian-speaking voters more cautiously, highlighting elderly residents struggling with new language requirements for residency.
While these parties battle over who best defends Russian speakers, Latvia’s other parties have steadily narrowed Russian-language use in public life, a shift the war made politically viable. The author notes both sides have legitimate arguments, but voters wanting to support Ukraine while addressing Russian-speakers’ concerns are largely unrepresented.
More claims of election fraud in Germany are proven false
Following Saxony-Anhalt’s state election, viral claims alleged that AfD’s sharp drop from 51.2% in ballot-box votes to 24.3% in postal votes proves large-scale postal-vote manipulation, with Martin Sellner calling for postal voting abolition. The figures themselves are accurate, but there’s no evidence of fraud.
Similar gaps have occurred before: in last year’s Bundestag election, AfD scored 25.3% at polling stations versus 13.2% by post. Researcher Simon Franzmann says such discrepancies reflect different voter demographics — younger, differently educated groups more likely to favor AfD tend to vote in person rather than by mail — not systemic manipulation, and recording errors, while possible, can’t explain the scale of the gap nationwide. AfD politicians have also long urged supporters to vote in person rather than by post, without providing evidence for their doubts about postal voting security.
The election also saw unrelated disinformation, including a staged video falsely depicting destroyed ballots and unfounded claims of irregularities at a nursing home.
GLOBAL PULSE
Disinformation narratives shaping the world’s conversations
Factcheck: Four claims made by Donald Trump during his trip to Ireland
During a visit to Ireland, Donald Trump made a series of claims about trade, investment, energy markets, and US government spending. An analysis by FactCheck found that his assertion that Ireland had “taken” US pharmaceutical companies and was “fleecing” America was misleading. While Ireland exports large volumes of pharmaceuticals to the US, many of the factories involved are owned by American multinationals, and the broader economic relationship includes significant US service exports to Ireland.
The fact-check also found problems with Trump’s claims that Irish investment in the US had nearly doubled, that the Ukraine war was the primary cause of global fuel shortages, and that the US could easily afford to give every adult American $5,000. While some elements of these statements were based on real figures, key details were exaggerated or omitted. Overall, the review concluded that several of Trump’s headline claims mixed facts with misleading context or were largely unsupported by available evidence.
The MAGA movement’s conspiracy-driven civil war could reshape US politics
Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a wave of conspiracy theories and misinformation has spread within the MAGA movement. Prominent right-wing influencer Candace Owens has amplified, for instance, allegations about Erika Kirk’s role in succeeding and the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death, helping fuel an internal disinformation campaign aimed at undermining her authority within Turning Point USA, but also affecting MAGA circles more widely.
The episode highlights how conspiracy narratives are increasingly being weaponized not only against political opponents but also within political movements themselves. Analysts cited by Facta argue that the battle over Charlie Kirk’s legacy has evolved into an information war marked by false claims, online harassment, and escalating extremist rhetoric that could reshape the future of the MAGA movement.
How Iran is trying to win the information war using AI
Since the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, social media platforms have been flooded with AI-generated videos portraying the country as militarily powerful and stable. As Facta illustrates, this type of content frequently features fictional female soldiers delivering pro-regime messages in English, often from near-identical accounts created around the same time. Analysts say the content appears aimed at international audiences and forms part of a coordinated effort to shape perceptions of Iran’s strength and legitimacy.
While some videos are labeled as AI-generated, others are not, making them harder for users to identify. Experts warn that such content blurs the line between reality and propaganda, allowing states to amplify political narratives quickly and at scale – and underlining how generative AI is employed as a central tool in modern information warfare.
ON A DIFFERENT NOTE
As we stand at this technological crossroads, it becomes crucial to understand the full spectrum of cognitive consequences associated with LLM integration in educational and informational contexts. While these tools offer unprecedented opportunities for enhancing learning and information access, their potential impact on cognitive development, critical thinking, and intellectual independence demands a very careful consideration and continued research
“Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task”, research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Paolo Cesarini, Editorial Director
Tommaso Canetta, Editor-in Chief
Editorial Staff include Elena Coden, Paula Gori, Elena Maggi
This edition draws in part on automated translation and reflects information available as of 16 September 2026. Later developments may not be included.
