The internet and health: International approaches to evaluating the quality of web-based health information

Abstract

The Internet is the catalyser of a revolution in the way people inform themselves. Health is one of the spheres of life where this revolution has an important impact. Hundreds of thousands of websites provide health information to users and the arrival of Web 2.0 enables these same users to post health information available to anyone, anywhere. Even though this phenomenon has positive aspects, it also raises legal and ethical challenges regarding the quality of the health information available and the protection of users' private data. This chapter discusses these challenges, pointing out the lack of regulation in the case of quality and the lack of control in the case of private data protection. It examines legal regulation at the European Union level and at European national levels. The chapter also highlights strategies developed by third-party actors to control these issues. Finally it attempts to propose a further evolution in approach, by discussing briefly the user's role and responsibility to improve the reliability of health information on the Internet.