We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
For those who can’t get enough of crime dramas, there’s a new series to add to your must-watch list, especially if you’re a fan of ITV hits like Endeavour. Enter The Doctor Blake Mysteries, an Australian crime series set in the 1950s, featuring Dr. Lucien Blake, portrayed by Craig McLachlan, as he aids the police in solving complex cases.
The narrative begins with Dr. Blake’s return to his hometown of Ballarat after a 30-year absence. His previous experiences include studying medicine in Scotland and serving in the Far East during World War II. Upon his return, he takes over his late father’s medical practice and steps into the role of police surgeon. Dr. Blake’s sharp eye for detail and his natural sleuthing abilities make him invaluable in unraveling mysterious crimes.
Airing from 2013 to 2017, the series captivated audiences, concluding with a television movie that tied up the storyline.
Craig McLachlan, known for his roles in Neighbours and Home and Away, won a coveted Golden Logie for his performance as Dr. Blake.
On Reddit, enthusiasts have recommended The Doctor Blake Mysteries as a fitting follow-up for those who enjoyed ITV’s Endeavour, the prequel to Inspector Morse.
One person wrote: “The Doctor Blake Mysteries (set in 1950’s-1960’s Australia, way darker than Endeavour). I’ll also second Inspector George Gently (amazing series!) and Unforgotten.”
While another wrote in a separate Reddit thread on the same topic: “Agree with all the foyles war and george gently suggestions, they’re awesome. I would add dr. Blake mysteries, father brown, grantchester… [sic].”
The Doctor Blake Mysteries have also been praised on IMDb as one person posted in their 10/10 review: “Craig McLachlan’s acting is brilliant in this show! I just can’t say enough of his brilliance at portraying the part of Dr. Blake. As I said, outstanding acting on Craig’s part.”
A second top-rated review hailed it as a “thought-provoking show” and explained: “Amazing writing and intrigue. Dr. Blake is a marvel. I wish they had shows like this in the US.”
A third person wrote in their glowing, top-tier review: “It is a classic example of the period detective genre like ‘Ripper Street’ or ‘Murdoch Mysteries’ with a little bit of 21st century hindsight.”
The user added: “I didn’t find Blake at all grumpy – quite the opposite. I get a little fed up with the short tempered detectives of the likes of Frost or DCI Banks.”
The Doctor Blake Mysteries is streaming on U and Channel 4 for free now
In a significant escalation, Ukraine executed one of its most extensive drone offensives against Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion commenced. The attack targeted a prominent oil refinery within the Russian capital, resulting in dense, black smoke billowing across sections of the city, as confirmed by Russian authorities and various reports.
The Moscow Oil Refinery, situated in the Kapotnya district and a crucial fuel hub for the region, was struck overnight on Thursday. This marks the second attack on the facility within three days. Footage circulating on social media depicted towering flames and thick smoke enveloping the site. Meanwhile, Russian officials reported that air defense systems intercepted multiple incoming drones.
Ukraine asserts that these deep incursions into Russian territory are turning points in the conflict, a point emphasized by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during discussions with President Donald Trump and other G7 leaders at a summit in France this week.
This latest series of strikes highlights a new war phase, with Ukraine increasingly capable of targeting crucial sites deep within Russian borders. At the same time, Moscow faces challenges in preventing drones from reaching politically sensitive and economically vital locations near the capital.
On June 18, 2026, smoke and flames were seen rising over Moscow following a Ukrainian drone assault that impacted the Kapotnya oil refinery and other strategic sites within the Russian capital. (East2West)
“This is pure hell, I’ve never felt such terror,” one Moscow resident said after the attack, according to East2West News.
Another resident, according to the outlet, asked, “Why won’t this madman stop his crazy and pointless war and end the death and destruction?”
East2West news agency also reported that a heavy security presence was deployed around the Kremlin, with Red Square sealed off and machine-gunners positioned on towers, ramparts and near Bolsheviks’ founder Vladimir Lenin’s Mausoleum.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said air defenses shot down more than 130 drones approaching the city. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed more than 550 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across several regions, though battlefield claims from either side could not be independently verified.
The Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya burns after being hit during Ukraine’s June 18, 2026, drone attack on the Russian capital.(East2West)
The attack disrupted daily life across Moscow, forcing temporary flight suspensions at major airports and traffic restrictions near the refinery. Russian officials said debris also fell near the Sadovod shopping center, damaging a building. The Moscow region governor said 16 people were injured in the broader attack.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha mocked the confusion in Moscow, writing on X, “One of the most popular questions asked by Muscovites this morning is ‘What is going on?’ I can answer. Your country started a war of aggression against ours. For years, it has been killing our people. Now that you know what’s going on, ask Putin when he is planning to end it.”
The strike appeared to expose vulnerabilities in Moscow’s heavily promoted air defense network, bringing the war deeper into the Russian capital even as the Kremlin continues its long-range missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
An explosion over Moscow after Ukrainian drones struck the Russian capital, including the Kapotnya oil refinery, June 18, 2026.(East2West)
The Kapotnya refinery is a strategically significant target. A prior Ukrainian drone strike damaged part of the refinery in recent days, according to Reuters, and forced a halt in some operations.
East2West reported that the refinery supplies 40% of Moscow’s fuel market and 70% of the surrounding region’s gasoline and aviation fuel needs.
Ukraine increasingly has targeted Russian energy infrastructure in an effort to undermine Moscow’s war machine and increase the domestic cost of the war inside Russia. Kyiv has described such strikes as part of its campaign of “long-range sanctions” against Russia’s oil and military infrastructure.
The Moscow attack came as President Vladimir Putin hosted leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc in Kazan, Russia. Ukraine also reportedly struck targets linked to Russia’s supply routes to occupied Crimea, including road and rail infrastructure. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said isolating Crimea is a key military objective as Kyiv seeks to weaken Russia’s hold on the peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.
Russia, meanwhile, continued its own strikes on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials reported Russian attacks on energy and oil facilities in the Poltava region and near Kyiv.
East2West reported that Russia was moving Tu-95MS strategic bombers across the country, raising concerns that Moscow could be preparing another major strike on Ukraine in the coming days.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a vehicle fire following a Russian drone attack in the Kyiv region, Ukraine, on May 5, 2026.(Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP)
Zelenskyy has said the war could end if Putin agrees to genuine peace talks, while accusing Moscow of prolonging the conflict and using negotiations as cover for continued attacks.
Authorities reported that two men were fatally shot in front of a building near a Bronx subway station on Thursday evening.
Police arrived at the scene on the corner of Westchester Avenue and Harrod Avenue around 10:10 p.m. to find a 43-year-old man and a 53-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were swiftly transported to Jacobi Hospital, where they were declared deceased, according to law enforcement.
A 43-year-old man and a 53-year-old man were gunned down in front of a building in the Bronx on Thursday night. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock
Investigators have yet to determine if the victims were specifically targeted in the attack.
Images from the scene show officers canvassing the area, just a block from the Morrison Avenue-Soundview 6 train Subway station, and using orange cones to mark evidence.
It’s unclear whether the victims were targeted in the shooting. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock
Photos captured officers swarming the scene, a block away from the Morrison Avenue-Soundview 6 train Subway station, and marking evidence with orange cones.
No arrests have been made, and an investigation remains ongoing, cops said.
Latto is sharing insights on motherhood, navigating life after childbirth, and her decision to keep aspects of her personal life under wraps.
The rapper recently spoke with Essence about adjusting to life with her first child, a daughter with 21 Savage. Although Latto has touched on her experiences as a mother, she has deliberately opted to keep her daughter’s name private, a choice that seems quite deliberate.
Latto’s desire to shield her daughter from public attention stems from her own experiences in the limelight. Since gaining fame, the Atlanta artist has often been a topic of discussion due to her relationships, alleged disputes, and internet gossip, which sometimes overshadow her musical achievements.
Reflecting on her career path, Latto admits there’s one aspect she might have approached differently.
“I probably would have been more reserved about my personal life overall,” she shared with the magazine. “I think I would have just kept quieter. That’s the only thing I would have done differently.”
These days, much of her focus is on motherhood, a role she says has transformed her outlook and given her a renewed sense of purpose.
Asked whether becoming a mom changed her motivation, Latto revealed that she had actually been searching for a new source of inspiration before becoming pregnant.
“For sure, 100 percent,” she said. “It’s crazy because I was actually praying for a new motivation in life before I got pregnant. So 100 percent it motivated and inspired me in a whole different way. It unlocks a different version of yourself almost immediately. It’s kind of crazy.”
As she prepared for motherhood, Latto said fellow rapper Sexyy Red offered some of the most meaningful advice.
“She was saying my life is about to change in the best way possible,” Latto recalled. “‘It’s scary — the change is so big that it is scary — but you got this.’ She said keep your head up through postpartum because it wasn’t easy for her and she hoped it would be better for me.”
Now experiencing postpartum herself, Latto says she has learned there is no way to fully prepare for the experience.
“Every day is different,” she explained. “You see people tell their stories but you don’t really know what to expect for real. I’m just taking it day by day. Some days are better than others, but overall I’m doing well.”
The rapper credited her strong support system, including her daughter’s father and both grandmothers, for helping her navigate this new chapter.
“She gave me more drive if anything,” Latto said of her daughter. “And I have so much help — her dad, her grandmas, we have a whole village.”
Motherhood has also inspired Latto to expand her philanthropic efforts. After becoming a mom, she launched her first annual Big Mama’s Day event, and she says postpartum awareness could become a focus of future initiatives.
For now, Latto is balancing motherhood with preparations for her return to performing. She told Essence that she’s focusing on healthy eating, exercise, self-care, and mental wellness as she gets ready to step back on stage.
“Trying to eat healthy, preparing my body inside and out,” she said. “I’ve got to prepare my mind too — a lot of self-care, massages, chiropractor appointments, all the things inside and out so my mind and body can be ready to hit that stage.”
In the early hours of October 9, 2020, tragedy struck New Boston, Texas, as 21-year-old Reagan Simmons Hancock, who was expecting a child, was brutally murdered. The assailant was Taylor Parker, Hancock’s former wedding photographer.
Parker, engaged in a months-long deceit of faking her own pregnancy, committed the horrific act of extracting Hancock’s unborn child to pass off as her own, according to court documents.
This chilling crime is now the focus of the Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct. Notably, the film does not feature interviews with Parker, who is currently on death row in Texas after her conviction for capital murder and abduction.
Director Jessica Dimmock shared with Oxygen in an exclusive interview that the decision to exclude Parker from the documentary was deliberate.
“We chose not to speak with Taylor,” Dimmock revealed, emphasizing the importance of highlighting the voices of those affected by Parker’s actions. “While Reagan and her family suffered the most, there were others deceived and hurt by Parker, including coworkers and past friends. Their perspectives were crucial to the story.”
In addition to speaking with Hancock’s family—who hope the film will lead to legislative change to protect pregnant mothers—Dimmock and her team highlighted interviews with Parker’s ex-boyfriend Wade Griffin, his loved ones, and other members of their community who were affected by her web of lies and violent actions.
Also featured are Parker’s doctors, who knew she couldn’t carry a child due to a past hysterectomy, but could not disclose the truth due to medical privacy laws.
Dimmock also brought together footage of Parker from before and after the crime, including body cam video from her emergency room interrogation, where she maintained that Hancock’s baby—who died at the hospital—was hers.
“We have her text messages. We have videos of her,” Dimmock said. “But it felt like, you know, I think as a director, ‘What is she going to say?’ From everything that I’ve read, from the way that the trial went, I don’t think she’s remorseful. There doesn’t really seem to be evidence that she’s remorseful. If she said she was remorseful, could I even believe her, and does that matter?”
“I just wasn’t sure that there was anything that she could say that would be additive, or that I could believe,” the director added, “and it felt disrespectful to those that she hurt the most to include her take.”
Parker, who has not spoken out from death row in the wake of the documentary, was last publicly seen at her sentencing trial in 2022. During the trial, prosecutors alleged that her pattern of deception had continued as she awaited her day in court.
In court documents filed by the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office and obtained by WDBJ, prosecutors argued Parker continued “her fraudulent pattern of lying and misrepresenting almost all aspects of her medical history and medical status” while behind bars, including allegedly taking part in a “massive fraudulent scheme directed at fabricating evidence, tampering with witnesses and ultimately attempting to frame a mentally fragile inmate” for her crime.
Prosecutors also argued, per KTAL, that Parker had continued to offer multiple “wild lies” of what happened the day Hancock died, including that she’d been targeted for kidnapping due to her alleged wealth and that Reagan was a casualty.
Parker’s defense attorney, meanwhile, argued in the opening statements of her sentencing trial that his client suffered from mental health issues that may have compromised her decision making.
In November 2025, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Parker’s conviction and death sentence.
Her attorneys, who contended Parker didn’t receive a fair trial and argued she should not have been convicted of kidnapping Hancock’s newborn, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review her case; however, they officially declined to hear her appeal in May 2025, KTAL reported.
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Chatham County authorities are currently investigating two violent attacks that unfolded just a day apart in Savannah, Sheriff Richard Coleman announced on Thursday.
The assaults, which occurred first on a Saturday and then again on the following Wednesday night, were captured on video and disseminated across social media platforms. Both incidents are reported to have taken place in the bustling downtown City Market area, close to Ellis Square.
Following the second attack, law enforcement has managed to identify several suspects, confirmed Sheriff Coleman. Those captured in the videos appear to be members of the same group involved in both assaults.
“We have pinpointed three individuals from the footage whom we intend to investigate further, and we may issue warrants for their arrest,” Coleman stated. “The investigation remains active as we strive to identify additional suspects from the video. Understanding their specific involvement in the attack is crucial as we move forward.”
One victim sought medical attention at a hospital for injuries that, according to officials, are not considered life-threatening.
Sheriff Coleman said he wants to remind everyone upon the holiday weekend to be safe and that violence won’t be tolerated.
“I’m an unhappy sheriff right now,” he said. “Justice needs to be brought to this situation. I’m going to bring justice to the situation. That type of behavior just cannot go on here in Chatham County.”
Christine Begin Nickell, the mother of Oliver Tree, shared a heartfelt tribute to her son after he tragically passed away alongside five others in a helicopter crash near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday.
On Thursday, Nickell reminisced about her son by sharing a childhood photo of the late artist, expressing deep gratitude for his life and the joy he brought into the world.
“Our dear son Oliver, you made this world a better place,” Nickell wrote in a touching Facebook post. “We are so proud of you. RIP.”
The crash claimed the lives of several others, including YouTube sensation Gaspar ‘Gaspi’ Prim, 23; director and screenwriter Lucas Vignale, 29; music producer Lucas Brito Chaves, 21; as well as pilots Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, alongside the 32-year-old singer.
Tree’s girlfriend, Fiona Chernavskaya, also expressed her sorrow on social media. She used Instagram Stories to convey her appreciation for the outpouring of support and kind words from fans following the devastating loss of the “Life Goes On” singer.
‘I appreciate every ounce of support at this time,’ Chernavskaya said. ‘There are so many who have been affected by his passing, please show them love too.’
Oliver Tree’s mother Christine Begin Nickell paid memorial to her late son Thursday following his death with five other people in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Sunday
Nickell posted a childhood shot of the late musical artist when he was younger, expressing her gratitude for her son
Chernavskaya also requested the public refrain from speculating about her relationship with the entertainer.
‘Please have some respect for my privacy, we kept our relationship very intimate,’ Chernavskaya said. ‘What I really don’t need is to see gossip about other women that Oliver may have been seeing, we were monogamous.
‘Right now I’m mourning my partner and best friend, anything else is unimportant. Please have some respect.’
She said in reference to the late singer on the platform Tuesday: ‘To my best friend, we traveled to 43 countries, and all 7 continents together.
‘The magic, inspiration and joy you brought to my life and others, will never be forgotten or replaced.
She added, ‘You’d always tell me when we argued, if things don’t work out in this lifetime, you will find me in the next. I love you buggy.’
Tree’s final concert took place on June 6 in São Paulo, Brazil, and he had been slated to perform in Lisbon, Portugal on July 1.
The enigmatic late performer donned a Shrek costume for an April 24 interview on the Zach Sang Show in support of his album Love You Madly Hate You Badly.
Tree’s final concert took place on June 6 in São Paulo, Brazil, and he had been slated to perform in Lisbon, Portugal on July 1. Pictured 2022 in San Francisco
The enigmatic late performer donned a Shrek costume for an April 24 interview on the Zach Sang Show in support of his album Love You Madly Hate You Badly
He said in the interview of his material, ‘I don’t believe that any of the wealth or the things that get made from it is mine.
‘And so when I die, set it up, my will is set up that when I pass, my family, no one’s gonna get a penny; if I have a wife or kids or anything, [they’re] not getting a f***ing penny.’
Tree, who was not married and did not have any children, continued, ‘I’ll get my kids through college, that’s the agreement, but they’re not going to be a silver spoon. They’re taken care of “because my dad worked on some stuff in the 2000s.”‘
Tree said that he wanted to put his money back into the arts following his passing.
‘The idea is when I die, all the money’s gonna go back to artists,’ Tree said. ‘So I’ve set up a foundation. It’s called Dr. Oliver Tree’s Art Grants for Baby Geniuses.
‘And it’s set up so that basically the interest generated from my music will take mostly that, but there’s also room for other money because when I die, my art will continue to have residuals – and probably be worth more than it is now.’
Tree spoke about how ‘historically speaking,’ interest ‘in an artist’s work go up after they die.’
He added, ‘People will finally appreciate my stupid f***ing videos, my f***ing stupid songs – that’s when people appreciate you when you’re not there anymore. Anyways, they might not, doesn’t even make a difference … the art will continue to make money no matter what.’
Speculation has been rife regarding the true identity and role of her character, and it seems the whispers might hold some truth—Sadie Sink could very well be portraying Jean Grey, a founding member of the X-Men, in the upcoming film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” For a detailed breakdown of the evidence, check out our video linked above.
The involvement of another character, portrayed by Tramell Tillman, who remains unnamed but appears to collaborate with Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland), hints that Jean’s role in the storyline could stem from her desire to safeguard mutants. It’s plausible that Tillman is cast as the mutant-hating William Metzger. If Sink is indeed playing Jean Grey, her actions might be a reaction to Tillman’s character’s deeds.
Several clues point to Sadie Sink’s enigmatic, hooded character being Jean Grey. In the latest “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” trailer, a voice that seems to belong to Tramell Tillman says, “You’re the only one who’s immune to it. You’re the only one who can stop it.” This suggests that Peter Parker isn’t affected by a psychic attack that is plaguing New York City, enabling the villain to jump between different minds.
But why is Peter unaffected? Is it due to his unique spider-based powers, a secret alliance with Jean, or another hidden cause? It’s apparent that other superpowered beings are impacted, including Bruce Banner, whose gray-toned Savage Hulk persona is seen in the trailer, pursuing his friend and student across New York. If the Hulk is susceptible, what makes Peter immune? For more insights into why Sadie Sink is likely portraying Jean Grey before “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” premieres on July 29, watch our video above.
The presence of another character — Tramell Tillman’s thus-unnamed figure, with whom Spider-Man (Tom Holland) appears to be working — suggests that Jean’s purpose in the story might be driven by her altruistic belief in protecting mutants. It feels possible that Tillman might be playing the mutant-hating William Metzger. Might Jean be acting out in response to Tramell’s actions — if that is indeed her in the film?
It’s looking clearer and clearer that Sadie Sink might be Jean Grey
There are plenty of other things that suggest Sadie Sink’s mysterious, hooded figure is Jean Grey. A bit of dialogue in the latest “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” trailer (which sounds like Tramell Tillman) can be heard saying, “You’re the only one who’s immune to it. You’re the only one who can stop it.” That hints that Peter’s not vulnerable to the psychic attack that is gripping New York City, which allows the antagonist to leap from one person’s consciousness to the next.
But why is Peter not susceptible to it? Because of his own spider-centric powers? Because Jean is secretly a friend? Or because of another, more obscure reason? It’s clear that other super-powered individuals are affected, such as Bruce Banner, whose gray-toned Savage Hulk persona is introduced in the trailer chasing his friend and student through New York. If the Hulk is vulnerable, why not Peter? To learn a few more reasons why Sadie Sink is probably playing Jean in the film — before “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” opens on July 29 — click our video above.
Inset: Halee Russo (Lake County Jail). Background: U.S. Highway 27 near County Road 466A in Fruitland Park, Florida (Google Maps).
A childcare worker in Florida is facing allegations of inadequate supervision after a toddler managed to slip away and dash across a busy highway, narrowly escaping a collision with a vehicle.
Halee Russo, 27, has been charged with child neglect without causing significant harm. Motorists began reaching out to the Fruitland Park Police Department soon after 11 a.m. on Friday, reporting the sight of a child sprinting through traffic on U.S. Highway 27 near County Road 466A, where the speed limit is 50 mph, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit. Concerned drivers intervened, successfully rescuing the child and safely returning him to the daycare.
Russo informed deputies that she usually ensures the gate from the playground to the parking lot is secured, but this step was overlooked on the incident day, according to police. Initially, she claimed the boy slipped away while she attended to other children, and a parent found him near the entrance. Russo asserted she pursued the child within five seconds of him opening the gate and reached him just as a parent stopped him.
However, officers presented witness statements that contradicted her account, revealing the child had indeed crossed the highway, indicating a more extended period when he was unsupervised. Russo, who has been employed at the daycare since November 2024, reportedly became emotional and mentioned she was simply following her supervisor’s instructions, according to the affidavit.
Russo recounted that she last saw the boy as he prepared to go down a slide but shifted her focus to console a distressed child. She estimated she lost sight of him for about two minutes. Russo alleged her supervisor advised her to fabricate details to prevent the daycare from shutting down. The daycare’s name was omitted from the report.
The teacher said the gate was locked, so the boy likely crawled underneath it to escape.
“The defendant confirmed the juvenile was solely in her care and she was not providing the juvenile with adequate supervision, putting the well-being of the juvenile at risk,” cops wrote.
Officers arrested Russo and took her to the Lake County Jail, where she has since posted a $2,500 bond. Her next court date is set for July 6.
A study analysing almost 1,000 TikTok videos found posts contaning sunscreen misinformation were more popular.
Experts say social media platforms have a “responsibility” to regulate medical misinformation.
Michelle Wong has dedicated years to navigating social media in search of misinformation.
She often encounters posts that label sunscreen as “toxic” or suggest that chemical sun protection products lead to kidney disease.
Motivated by these pervasive myths, Wong, who holds a PhD in chemistry, set out to clarify misleading beauty and skincare claims found online. Reflecting on the past 15 years, she notes a significant increase in the “volume” of online misinformation.
“Content that offers unique, seemingly new information can captivate people, especially if it aligns with their biases. If it’s frightening, it tends to be shared even more,” she explained.
“Fear tends to elicit stronger reactions than calm, methodical scientific explanations.”
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Alessandro Marcon is a senior research associate at the University of Alberta’s Health Law Institute in Canada and told SBS News he has witnessed a similar trend.
He analysed 971 of the most-viewed TikTok videos across five popular hashtags, including #sunscreen, #sunscreenviral, #spf, #sunscreenreview and #sunprotection. This data set accumulated to over 2.4 billion views on the platform.
While the study found that the majority of posts — 86.6 per cent — promoted sunscreen use, content which contained misinformation attracted “significantly higher” engagement. Videos containing critiques made up 6 per cent of the data set, while content asserting that sunscreen causes harm represented 1.5 per cent.
“These videos were not viewed more often … but they were liked more often, shared more often and more often commented on,” Marcon said.
Wong said she believes the methodology used in this study may have “misestimated the prevalence of misinformation on TikTok” because the importance of hashtags in the algorithm have “been declining since perhaps 2022”.
The study also excluded non-English language content.
The Cancer Council promotes five forms of sun protection: Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide. Source: Getty / Amparo Garcia
The analysis, funded by the Canadian Cancer Society, found that just 6 per cent of videos explicitly mentioned cancer risk reduction as a benefit of using sunscreen.
Marcon acknowledged content “was typically to prevent skin damage. So, talking about cracking skin or peeling skin … to deal with acne or aging”.
The Cancer Council says sunscreen is an effective tool in preventing skin cancer, according to decades-worth of scientific research. So why does the misinformation spread?.
Combatting online health misinformation
Sally Blane, chair of the Cancer Council’s national skin cancer committee, described the findings as concerning.
“Skin cancer is Australia’s most common cancer. [Around] two in three Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime,” she said.
“So, having misinformation out there which can potentially lead to more skin cancers — that’s the main concern for us.”
The Cancer Council also advised, “if people are using social media to get that health information, they have to be really careful and make sure that it is from experts and it is evidence-based”.
But Wong believes it’s increasingly complex to identify health and medical misinformation online. She is regularly sent fact-checking content requests by users.
“One of the biggest issues I’ve seen is actually dermatologists … wearing lab coats, they’ve got their scrubs on and they will say ‘It’s best to avoid chemical sunscreens.’
“The problem isn’t just confined to the wellness space,” she alleged.
Alessandro Marcon said his research identified there are “prominent accounts” spreading sunscreen misinformation which are “quite easy to identify”. Source: Getty / NurPhoto
Does the algorithm deliberately drive misinformation?
Brooke Nickel, a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health, believes the “crux of the issue” is social media algorithms.
“There’s this idea of the parasocial relationship on social media. Where people have these really strong ties or feel really connected to these influencers, they’re hearing the information from,” she said.
“Algorithms are set up to make posts more viral and spread information that is kind of appealing, that has more kind of controversial views … or extreme language.”
In a statement to SBS News, TikTok said “We prohibit and remove harmful misinformation, including harmful medical misinformation, as it’s against our strict Community Guidelines.
“Australians are more cautious and informed about sun protection, and TikTok Australia is proud to have built on this record of sun safety, partnering with the Melanoma Institute on the highly successful campaign, ‘Tanning. That’s Cooked’.”
A recent analysis by the US-based Pew Research Center found that 40 per cent of adults aged under 50 in the United States get their health and wellness information from social media influencers and podcasts. A 2021 review published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research reported that posts containing health misinformation were up to 87 per cent more likely to reach users.
“It would be great to see it better regulated online and because we know that misinformation does spread, unfortunately.”
It’s a call echoed by Marcon.
“A lot of the response is typically framed around, ‘Well, what can public health do?’ And I think a lot of the discussion should be focused more on what can TikTok do and what kind of pressures, what kind of responsibility does TikTok have in promoting this content?”
While Marcon’s study focused on TikTok, he believes there are “definitely” similar sunscreen trends across other social media platforms.
In response to the University of Alberta’s analysis, TikTok also advised:
“If anyone sees a video or account they believe shouldn’t be on platform, they can easily report it in app.”
