Children with a vaccine-hesitant parent varied by vaccine: 56% for COVID, 31% for flu, 30% for HPV, and 12% for other childhood illnesses.
The paper has already led to much confusion and has been used as fodder for anti-vaccine advocates.
The false belief is undermining efforts to address the country's rising measles cases through vaccination.
The proportion of respondents who believe in the safety of vaccines fell from 77% in April 2021 to 71% in fall 2023.
Some call it 'misinformation' or the 'infodemic,' but Hotez dislikes those terms, "because it implies that it's just some random junk on the internet. It wasn't that at all."
But the authors caution that watch histories substantially affect video recommendations, complicating the picture.
"The vaccine spillover effects that we document in our research underscore the importance of restoring trust in human vaccine safety and efficacy."
Experts from the Annenberg Public Policy Center prefer "Vaccination Safety Monitor" or "Vaccination Safety Watch" over VAERS.
New report finds a range of vaccine confidence and skepticism worldwide.
Pro-vaccine groups on the social media platform are "fighting off to one side, in the wrong place."
