“It’s possible to work with brands and still be grounded in facts and science,” she said, but acknowledged that “some of it is necessary — because debunking took up so much of my hours.”
Ms. Wong quit her job in 2019 to devote herself full time to Lab Muffin Beauty Science, but sometimes she still works up to 70 hours a week. “Science just takes so much longer than misinformation because you have to do the research right,” she said.
Once a debunker has an audience, maintaining and building an account can also lead to burnout. Like most influencers, they pressure themselves to excel. Like dr. Austin Chiang, a gastroenterologist with more than half a million TikTok followers, explained, they often blame themselves when their content underperforms. “We think, is it because my messages are not good?” he said. “Is it because the quality of the video is not good?”
dr. However, Wallace said the most exhausting element was the harassment. Commentators repeatedly insult her, and when she posts in favor of vaccination, they accuse her of being a “shill for Big Pharma.” “I block accounts every day,” said Dr. wallace. She also received threatening and sexually abusive messages through her university email account — a situation she said the university police should be involved in early this year.
For healthcare professionals, harassment can also lead to professional consequences, or the fear of them. “Many people’s institutions don’t want them to attract masses of negative attention,” said Renée DiResta, a disinformation expert and technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, which studies Internet propaganda. Doctors are encouraged to treat patients. Scientists are encouraged to conduct research and submit their findings for peer review. Create content on TikTok? Fewer.
Dhahir considered leaving TikTok after users found the address of his pharmacy and spread rumors about his professional and personal life. He also had to meet with the Dean of Medicine at the University of Sydney and explain why the university had received complaints. Mr Dhahir said he felt supported by his university but was concerned that it could change soon. “One wrong move and my job could fire me or the university could kick me out,” he said. “I have to make sure I don’t screw it up.”