TED Health Interview: Matthew Facciani on fighting healthcare misinformation
Feb 3, 2026
Matthew Facciani, an interdisciplinary social scientist who studies polarization and misinformation, explains why beliefs bind groups and how identity shapes receptiveness to information. He explores how offline relationships and compassionate reframing can reduce bias. Practical tips include media literacy habits, communicating scientific uncertainty, and ways communities can rebuild trust.
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Speak With Uncertainty, Not False Certainty
- Communicate scientific uncertainty and the research process to build trust, rather than overstating certainty.
- Balance clarity with integrity and acknowledge trade-offs as evidence evolves.
Use Lateral Reading First
- Do lateral reading: open new tabs to check an author's background, funding, and corrections before trusting content.
- Use credibility signals rather than diving only into a persuasive article's text.
Check Study Design And Absolute Risk
- Learn basic research methods and check absolute risk, not just relative claims in headlines.
- Inspect study design, confounders, and the real-size difference between groups.
