"Pill that makes you sterile, milk gland": YouTube, TikTok and the disturbing medical misinformation of young people

In an era where social media and artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT have become the equivalent of search engines, 30% of young French people obtain information about contraception online, and 20% on social media. This is according to a Kantar survey conducted for the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, with support from the Organon laboratory.

But what kind of content do they see on their news feeds? For those who aren't familiar with TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and the like, here are some examples of the misinformation circulating:

"Supposedly there is a pill that allows a man to get pregnant", "the morning-after pill, there are those who say that you take it once and then you are sterile for life, so we don't know what to think about it", "There are those who talk about the milk glans. It would be at puberty, you lose your glans and a new one grows back. I believed it for a while too...", these young people testify.

That was the downside of social media. And yet, no, the new generation isn't lost. They all have an idea of ​​what's wrong. “First of all, there's a lack of knowledge on the subject, and then maybe we're not told enough about it,” says Jules. “My parents talked to me about the subject. They told me to be careful,” assures Jeff.

Faced with this misinformation , there are consequences. It leads to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases and voluntary terminations of pregnancy... The number of abortions is at its highest level in 30 years, particularly among 25-29 year-olds. These are facts, and that is sometimes the problem. One of the women we heard from told me that she trusts testimonies more than the videos of caregivers that we see on social media.

It's to combat misinformation in particular that you're seeing more and more healthcare professionals on social media, like Aurel Guedj, the RMC doctor, for example. There's also the account of Dr. Laure Geisler, the general practitioner behind the @lecoeurnet.info account on social media. A role that's sometimes criticized, but her audience speaks for itself. She has more than 200,000 followers on TikTok, mostly teenage boys.

“For the moment, our place is there. I think it's important because at home, we don't have the right tools, at school, it's important that it's done, but the resources are insufficient. We also know that everything that concerns consent must be learned outside the family setting because we know that unfortunately when it goes wrong, it can happen within the family setting,” she emphasizes.

Indeed, we remind you that every three minutes, a child is the victim of incest, rape or sexual assault.

Of course, there are limits. First, nothing beats personalized medical advice; that's how you recognize real "influ-doctors." This is also what gynecologist Israel Nisand believes, emphasizing the decisive role of parents.

“Parents are justified in trying to pass on a certain number of moral behaviors that they consider legitimate. And no one else can put themselves in their shoes to do so. As much as they are essential for the fundamentals at a young age, they also need help and assistance from third parties when sexuality is taking hold,” he emphasizes.

He also suggests that caregivers be used to give lessons in schools... Because while France occupies first place in the Atlas of Contraception, which evaluates policies regarding access to contraception, only 24% of 18-30 year-olds cite school as a source of information according to the study by the Orgagnon laboratory.

One of the keys is information and discussion, caregivers insist. If you're a parent, it's an awkward moment to go through... But you have to remind these children and adolescents that there are no absurd questions.