Category: Misinformation 101

Heard of the “manosphere”? It’s often used to refer to a collection of online communities and influencers who claim to promote men’s health and well being. It unfortunately rarely stops there.

Manosphere influencers will often rely on narrow and exaggerated definitions of masculinity. They will use anecdotes and negative experiences to degrade women. To them, the world must be seen through rigid “men”/”women” differences. 

What’s more, they spread harmful myths and create content meant to elicit a reaction out of you, whether you agree with them or not. 

Don’t be swayed by these manipulation tactics and read how these myths fall apart under scrutiny.

As always, do not feed the trolls!

A strawman argument happens when someone twists what you said into something easier to attack. So instead of responding to the real point, they respond to a distorted version of it (1,2).

Example:

• Person A: “We should reduce plastic waste.”
• Person B: “So you think we should ban all plastic and make life impossible?”

This tactic can take different forms, like exaggerating a point, oversimplifying it, or taking it out of context. It works because the new version is simpler, more extreme, and easier to reject. It can also make the original idea seem unreasonable, which can turn people against it and rally support for the person attacking it (1).

This is different from simply misunderstanding someone. We can all misinterpret things sometimes, especially in fast conversations. If you’re not sure you understood, it’s better to ask questions or ask the person to clarify their point before assuming (3).

If someone is using a strawman argument against you, here’s what you can say or do:
Clearly state “That’s not what I said” and restate your point clearly. Then ask them to respond to your actual argument (3,4).

Spot the distortion, and bring the conversation back to what was actually said.

That doesn’t mean we should ignore experts. In fact, relying on qualified experts is often helpful (2,4).

But here’s the key (4):

• Is this person actually an expert in this topic?
• Are they showing evidence, or just asking you to trust them?

If you catch this happening, ask: what evidence supports this claim, beyond who said it (8)?

Remember, “they said so” isn’t proof. It’s just a claim (2).

We all like to think we are good at spotting misinformation online. In reality, it can be tricky. The good news is, you do not need to be an expert to question what you see online. A quick pause and a few checks can go a long way.

Today, (March 27, 2026) is Canada’s first #AILiteracyDay hosted by our friends @mediasmarts.ca ! We pulled all these tips from their terrific resources. Visit their website to learn more.

When unsupported health claims spread, they can quickly have real impacts on people’s health. 

A recent example involving Tylenol and autism shows how fast that can happen. 

Swipe to learn what the evidence actually says. 👉

This post was made in collaboration with @pwhrcanada and @grossesseensante

When mom says we have Ilya Rozanov at home… ⬆️

While our rivalry with misinformers may be heated (not that way! Come on…), all our love is for our fellow science communicators who are hard at work (not that way!!) keeping people across Canada informed, educated, and entertained.

There are too many incredible science communicators for us to tag everyone… but we don’t ever want that problem to ever go away 😉

See below for some of the communicators we love. There are many many others but we can’t tag them all!

This bias is a mental shortcut. When a decision feels heavy or uncertain, it can feel easier to leave things as they are than to weigh risks and benefits (1,3).

We see this often with vaccines. For a hesitant parent, vaccinating can feel like pulling the lever. It is an active choice (1). Vaccines are incredibly safe, and most side effects are mild and short lived. Serious reactions are rare (4). But if something were to happen, it can feel like it happened because of a decision they made. Choosing not to vaccinate can feel safer because it avoids action, but it does not remove the risk (1,5). In fact, the risk of severe illness, complications, or death from vaccine-preventable diseases is significantly higher than the risk of serious vaccine side effects (6). 

We are all vulnerable to biases that shape how we see risk and responsibility. Being aware of them can help us make more informed decisions, and also better understand where others are coming from.