Misidentification, Not Sharing: Reconnecting Social Media Fatigue with Health Misinformation

This study investigates the relationship between social media fatigue and the sharing and credibility of health misinformation. It further examines how social media fatigue influences individuals' discernment ability: the capacity to differentiate between misinformation and real information. Participants (n = 506) rated the credibility and sharing intentions of real and fake health-related posts on social media platforms. Discernment was assessed using both mean rating differences and receiver operating characteristic curve approaches. The results indicate that social media fatigue is positively associated with the credibility and sharing of health misinformation. However, it also increases the credibility and sharing of real health information. Social media fatigue negatively impacts individuals’ ability to discern misinformation from real information but does not significantly influence the quality of their sharing decisions. This study advances the understanding of social media fatigue by integrating its effects on both misinformation and real information. It highlights the need to assess discernment comprehensively, using rigorous evaluation metrics, and calls attention to the broader implications of social media fatigue on public health communication in the digital age.