Science Feedback

2. The DSA mandates that platforms take down illegal content, such as CSAM and scams and offers to buy and sell illegal goods. Meta is earning $7 billion from scam ads each year, suggesting that such consumer protection is essential.
www.reuters.com/inve...

5/9

There have been increasingly shrill accusations against the EU over its digital legislation, based on accusations of "censorship" by defenders of "free speech" -- including, so it appears, the right to peddle an AI app that seemingly produces child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
1/9

Viral claims that cows and beef are climate solutions ignore the impacts of cattle farms Research says that most cattle farms emit more greenhouse gas than they absorb.

While mitigation efforts exist, the broader evidence doesn’t support the idea that beef is a climate solution.

A 2021 review of 292 beef systems found only 2% achieved net-zero emissions.

Read the full review: science.feedback.org/review/impac...

At first glance, the idea has intuitive appeal: cows eat grass, grass absorbs CO₂.

But this overlooks key emissions from cattle, especially methane, a short-lived but potent greenhouse gas

Methane from cattle belching outweighs the CO₂ absorbed by pasture plants in most cases.

Viral claims that cows and beef are climate solutions ignore the impacts of cattle farms Research says that most cattle farms emit more greenhouse gas than they absorb.

We’ve seen recurring claims on social media and in TV segments that cattle are good for the climate, or even 'carbon-negative'.
These claims often misrepresent the research they cite or rely on narrow case studies.
science.feedback.org/review/impac...

For those who aren't aware, Google's AI summary chatbot Gemini is programmed to refuse to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Compare the two cases:

TikTok videos promote supplements and vaginal gels claiming to treat #HPV infection

But these lack large well-designed trials to show safety and effectiveness

Review by @kevinault.bsky.social & Linda Eckert @uwdeptmedicine.bsky.social
science.feedback.org/hpv-infectio...

With the viral season upon us, the debate over vaccination will flare up again.

It remains strange to watch: the advantages are many, well established, and increasingly better supported by evidence, including benefits against non-communicable diseases.
1/10

💡𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Join us on Thursday, 11 December (14:30 CET) as we present the findings of the SIMODS study, a 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜, 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 on how six VLOPs are performing against disinfo.

🗣️ Emmanuel Vincent, from Science Feedback
🔗 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Snapshot of EPA's "indicators of climate change" page, which no longer exists.

Additionally, it appears that all of EPA's previously extensive "indicators of climate change" pages have been scrubbed entirely. The pages no longer exist; there are numerous dead links on the current/live EPA site, and no indication they have been moved to a new URL.

Snapshot of EPA "causes of climate change" webpage from Oct 8, 2025, showing major changes that systematically de-emphasize or exclude human causes of climate change.

This can be confirmed using the Wayback Machine's last snapshot (from Oct 8, 2025). At some point between Oct 8 & Dec 8, major changes were made to this and other EPA climate change content. Information has either been removed completely or "adjusted" to emphasize natural causes.

The study also didn’t account for healthcare-seeking behaviour.

Vaccinated people tend to get tested more often → more diagnoses → not necessarily more illness.

Bottom line:
More recorded cases isn't necessarily a sign of weaker immune system.

We also consulted Prof. Helen Petousis-Harris, who highlighted major limitations.
Yes, the study found more common colds in people with 4+ doses,
but that same group had lower rates of flu-like illness and pertussis.
That pattern doesn’t fit the claim of “weakened immunity”.

Science Feedback spoke to Dr. Jihun Song, the first author.
Dr. Song stressed that the study was “an observational analysis of associations” and “cannot make causal claims about immune function”.

South Korea study doesn't show COVID vaccines weaken immunity Study examining trends in respiratory infections is misrepresented to spread COVID vaccine misinformation.

Some posts on social media are claiming a South Korean study shows COVID-19 vaccines “weaken the immune system”.
That’s misleading, and the study’s authors say so themselves. science.feedback.org/review/south...

Sea level rise - Wikipedia

I'm preparing a briefing on #SeaLevelRise and my hunt for an image led me to the wikipedia page and holy moly it's good...

If you want to learn about many different aspects, I'd definitely start there.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lev...

Insufficient evidence for claim that vitamin D shrinks fibroids Research finds low vitamin D levels are associated with fibroids. But association alone isn't proof of causation.

Curious about what the evidence does say?
Read the full review here ⬇️
science.feedback.org/review/vitam...

She added:
“More research is needed… We strongly encourage women to seek reliable, evidence-based health information through trusted sources.”

Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), told us:

“Evidence around using vitamin D to treat fibroids is limited and unclear… There’s no proven cause-and-effect relationship.”

High doses can lead to toxicity, including a higher risk of kidney stones.
Vitamin D is important, but yes, you can have too much of a good thing.

Insufficient evidence for claim that vitamin D shrinks fibroids Research finds low vitamin D levels are associated with fibroids. But association alone isn't proof of causation.

Some TikTok videos claiming that Vitamin D can “shrink fibroids” have millions of views (+ plenty of supplements to sell)
A Science Feedback review shows there’s more hype than evidence behind these claims & some videos push dangerously high doses of Vitamin D science.feedback.org/review/vitam...

This report was produced in partnership with @newtral.es demagog.sk @pravdapl.bsky.social @checkfirst.network & Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)

What’s next?
A second measurement in early 2026 will track how these numbers evolve.
Follow us here for updates.
Download the full report (PDF) 👉 science.feedback.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SIMODS-Report-1.pdf

Why it matters.
Under the EU’s Digital Services Act, platforms must show they’re mitigating systemic risks like disinformation.
This study gives the clearest independent benchmark yet to track compliance with the Code of Conduct.

One of our most striking findings: the misinformation premium

Across all platforms except LinkedIn, accounts spreading misinformation get more reach per follower than credible accounts

On YouTube: low-credibility accounts get 8x more interactions per follower than high-credibility ones

What we found:
⚠️ TikTok has the highest prevalence of misinformation:
20% of posts on public-interest topics contain false or misleading info.
Facebook is 2nd at 13%

LinkedIn has the lowest prevalence at just 2%, showing platforms can design systems that don’t reward falsehoods

What our first measurement says about disinformation on major platforms in Europe - Science Feedback Science Feedback and partners have released a first measurement of Structural Indicators across six Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) in four EU member states (France, Spain, Poland, Slovakia). Belo...

🚨 New report out: the first cross-platform, cross-country baseline on misinformation in Europe

Based on large scale data analysis: ~2.6M posts (24B views) collected on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X & YouTube

science.feedback.org/first-measurement-disinformation-major-platforms-europe

Bottom line: DMSO has legitimate uses in medicine (like organ preservation), but it's not a cure-all.
Be cautious of claims that promise simple fixes for complex health issues.
🔗 science.feedback.org/beware-mirac...

DMSO has also been linked to alternative cancer treatments on social media. But Science Feedback found no credible evidence it works in humans, and its safety profile is still uncertain.

Mishra adds: safer, more effective options exist – like NSAIDs, paracetamol, or physical therapy. Using DMSO instead could pose unnecessary risks.