Sir, social media platforms (SMPs) have become a source of health-related content for the general population, dental trainees and dental professionals alike. Since uploading of health-related content in SMPs is not restricted to professionals, both valid and false information can be openly available. There has been a call for dental institutions and scientific journals to be ambassadors in order to promote the right information through verified accounts so that the general population and trainees can rely on authentic information.1

Recently, an information panel providing context on the source of information is now shown underneath videos on YouTube, giving users information to help better understand the sources of health content. To identify which health sources are eligible for this feature in the United States, a panel of experts convened by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) reviewed by the American Public Health Association (APHA) and verified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) use a set of principles and definitions.2 The principles for authoritative health sources include that sources should be science-based, objective, transparent and accountable.

In the UK, similar work in conjunction with the National Health Service (NHS) has been initiated by YouTube to develop an approach to informing which channels would be eligible for an information panel. As a starting point in the UK, only NHS organisations are being invited to self-certify against the NHS Standard for Creating Health Content. By completing the self-certification process, an NHS organisation channel will be eligible for information panels indicating NHS credibility. This approach has been reviewed by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges which concluded that this approach helps give a solid basis for determining the authoritativeness of health sources on SMPs.3

It is encouraging to see SMPs taking such steps and similar decisions should be followed by other providers.