The quality and reliability of Chinese short-video information on spinal robotic navigation surgery on TikTok and Bilibili: a cross-sectional content analysis
This cross-sectional study reveals that the quality and reliability of Chinese short videos on spinal robotic navigation surgery on TikTok and Bilibili are generally unsatisfactory, with information quality being significantly determined by the uploader's professional background and content theme rather than platform source or user engagement metrics.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
Patients facing complex spinal surgery often turn to the internet for answers, seeking clarity on procedures that involve intricate machinery and high stakes. In recent years, spinal navigation robots have emerged as a powerful tool for surgeons, offering three-dimensional views of the spine and allowing for screws to be placed with extreme precision, which reduces radiation exposure and speeds up recovery. As these technologies become more common in hospitals, the public naturally looks to social media to understand them. Short-video platforms have become a primary source of this information, offering quick, visual explanations that are easy to digest. However, the nature of these platforms often prioritizes entertainment and rapid engagement over medical accuracy, raising a critical question: when a patient watches a video about spinal robots, can they trust what they are seeing?
A team of researchers from the Air Force Medical University in Beijing set out to answer this by examining the landscape of Chinese short videos dedicated to spinal navigation robots. They focused their investigation on two of the country's most popular video platforms, TikTok and Bilibili, which operate with different styles and audiences. To ensure a fair and unbiased review, the researchers gathered the top one hundred videos from each site using a fresh, clean account to avoid personalized recommendations. They filtered these down to a final group of fifty-two videos that were original, in Chinese, and directly relevant to the topic. Two experienced spine surgeons, working independently and without knowing who created the videos or how popular they were, then evaluated each one. They used two established scoring systems to judge the overall quality of the information and its reliability, specifically looking for balanced discussions of risks and benefits, clear sources, and evidence-based claims.
The study revealed that the quality of information available to the public is currently unsatisfactory. While the videos varied in length and style, the most significant factor determining their trustworthiness was not the platform they appeared on, but rather who made them and what they were about. Videos created by qualified doctors consistently received the highest marks for both quality and reliability. In contrast, content produced by commercial marketing accounts or non-medical bloggers often lacked necessary details about risks and complications. The researchers found that videos focusing purely on the technology and hardware of the robots tended to have the lowest quality scores, often failing to explain how the device actually helps a patient or what the potential downsides might be. Conversely, videos that offered a balanced look at the pros and cons of the surgery, discussing both the advantages and the limitations, were rated as the most informative and trustworthy.
An important finding challenged a common assumption about social media: high popularity does not equal high quality. The researchers analyzed how many people liked, commented on, or shared each video. They discovered that while videos with more likes and comments often felt more engaging, these numbers did not reliably predict whether the medical information was accurate or balanced. A video could go viral and receive thousands of interactions while still omitting crucial safety warnings or presenting a one-sided view of the procedure. This suggests that the algorithms driving these platforms, which favor content that grabs attention quickly, are not designed to surface the most medically sound information. The study indicates that the source of the content and the depth of its subject matter are far more important indicators of trustworthiness than the number of views or comments a video receives.
The researchers concluded that to improve the online resources available to patients, more doctors need to participate in creating educational content, and platforms need to adjust how they promote such videos. Currently, the digital space is filled with content that may be visually appealing but medically incomplete. By encouraging medical professionals to share balanced, evidence-based explanations and by ensuring that videos discussing risks and benefits are given better visibility, the quality of public health information can be significantly raised. Until these changes occur, patients should remain cautious, understanding that a high number of likes does not guarantee that a video provides a complete or safe picture of spinal robotic surgery.
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