Anyone who is sick in bed has time to research their symptoms on the Internet.
Bild: Picture Alliance
If your head hurts, your back hurts or your chest hurts, most Germans first look to the internet for answers. There are a few things to consider.
So As long as nothing hurts us, we usually do little or not at all about our health. But that changes suddenly as soon as your knee hurts, your nose runs, your throat hurts, your head is pounding or your skin itches. Then many want to know immediately: where does that come from? And how bad is it really? The video portal YouTube now wants to provide reliable answers. For about a week now, clinics, doctors and psychotherapists present on the platform in Germany have been able to apply for a seal that identifies their channels as “from a state-recognized health facility” or “under the supervision of medical professionals”.
This means that YouTube, which belongs to Google, is in line with the trend. The Internet is becoming more and more popular as an instance that classifies symptoms and makes diagnoses. According to a study commissioned by the digital association Bitkom, 62 percent of internet users found out about their symptoms online or using an app in preparation for a doctor’s appointment last year. In 2020 it was ten percent less. According to YouTube parent company Google, there were around 1.6 billion search queries and access to health-related videos in Germany in 2021. The new seal isn’t a bad thing, one would think. But there is criticism of the project.