Misinformation Intervention Countermeasure for Health Advice

The MICHA project will investigate the design considerations and user expectations, use and risks of applying AI agents for use in online health forums to aid social identification and guidance of health-based misinformation attempts. AI-facilitated misinformation countermeasures within online communities could act as countermeasures that can be leveraged to generate and moderate content in a transparent and trustworthy manner, setting a practical example for other organisations to follow. The research activities intend to identify gaps and opportunities towards creating design recommendations for an autonomous AI agent that combats online health misinformation in community forums, including investigation through user experience research methods to understand perspectives of exposure to AI (in)authenticity forms experienced in these community spaces. Specifically, the team will explore the expectations and perceptions of users in online health forums regarding "authentic" interactions with "inauthentic" bots, prioritising user perspectives to determine the essential qualities of a 'trustworthy' bot that effectively corrects misinformation, whilst still maintaining the authenticity of the online forum experience.

Misinformation refers to misleading or inaccurate information shared by people who do not recognise it as such. When it comes to health, misinformation can have severe consequences, impacting people's quality of life and even increasing their risk of mortality. The MICHA project will engage in user research with users of online maternal health forums to understand user perceptions, expectations, and ethical considerations about AI-driven interventions aimed at addressing misinformation in these community health advice environments.