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Even casual online interactions can carry professional risk, writes Dr Maria Li
In 2025, many doctors have found their footing on social media. We know how to craft thoughtful, well-worded posts. We strike the right professional tone. We avoid controversy — or expertly navigate it. In short: we understand our feeds are a public stage — and we act accordingly.
But the risks of social media don’t just live in our carefully composed posts. They sometimes hide in the subtler spaces — comments, DMs, and disappearing stories — where our guard can drop and judgement can falter.
Case study – Carla*
Carla was an obstetrician who used social media under her professional banner. She rarely posted content of her own, but she was a prolific commenter.
One day, a local parenting group posted about birth trauma, accusing obstetricians of pathologising normal birth. Incensed, Carla jumped into the comments. She argued back and forth with the original poster, growing increasingly agitated. In the heat of a sharp exchange, she wrote:
“My job is to deliver babies, not fairy tales. If that offends you, grow up — or else your child may not get a chance to!”
Later that day, she vented in her Instagram stories. She didn’t name anyone, and the story disappeared after 24 hours.
Several weeks later, screenshots of her comments and disappearing story were published in an article by an online news outlet. Within days, many of Carla’s patients cancelled appointments. Shortly after, the private hospital where she worked asked for a meeting to “discuss recent social media commentary.”
Comments are content
Most of us understand that social media is media. We bring our professional discernment to feed posts because we know how visible they are.
But we often forget the other places we “post”:
- Comments sections
- Disappearing stories
- Inbox direct messages (DMs)
Because these interactions feel more casual, we tend to treat them as private or throwaway. They’re not. Every interaction written under the banner of our professional identity contributes to our digital footprint. And even when the intent is good — to educate or advocate — brief lapses in judgement can be screenshotted and shared, with potential real-world consequences.
Case study – Dan*
Dan, a GP with a growing social media following, often used his platform to share accessible health information. One day, he received a DM from a long-time follower — someone who frequently engaged respectfully with Dan’s content — asking what he thought about a particular weight loss medication.
With his guard down due to their previous positive interactions, Dan replied: “I personally wouldn’t touch it — have seen too many side effects!”
Months later, Dan received a complaint to the regulator. The complainant was his follower’s mother. She alleged her child had ignored their doctor’s advice based on Dan’s DM, and supplied screenshots of their conversation as evidence.
Same audience, same risk
Social media platforms create the illusion that disappearing stories, comments, and DMs are more informal than posts. However, it’s the same audience engaging in a different format. Your followers don’t suddenly become friends just because they’re in your inbox or comments. The vibe is more casual, but the stakes remain the same.
This doesn’t mean we need to tiptoe around every online conversation. However, it does mean we should bring the same discernment to micro-interactions that we bring to our headline posts.
Is social media too risky?
If, at this point, you’re wondering whether it’s safer to just log off altogether — that’s not the intent of this article. In a landscape crowded with health misinformation and disinformation, the presence of doctors online has never mattered more. There’s strong demand for credible voices, and genuine potential to build a respected personal brand.
The analogy? The existence of speeding fines doesn’t make driving too risky. It just means we need to drive with care. This isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness.
How to mitigate risk
If you’re representing yourself as a doctor online, and wanting to post a comment, a disappearing story, or write a DM, ask yourself:
- Would I say this on stage at a conference?
- Would I be comfortable seeing this resurface a year from now, stripped of context?
If in doubt — pause.
Run it past an impartial friend.
Check with your medical defence organisation.
Or choose not to post at all.
Good judgement doesn’t silence your voice. It helps you use it wisely.
Final thoughts
When used well, online platforms can be valuable tools for connection, advocacy, and education. But like anything that offers reach and influence, they come with trade-offs.
Social media is a tool — and like any tool, the risk depends on how we use it. As doctors, we’re trained to apply sound judgement in high-stakes, unpredictable environments. The digital landscape calls for that same discernment.
So whether it’s a formal post, a comment, or a quick DM, treat it as public communication.
Our judgement shouldn’t end with the big, planned social media moments. Sometimes, it’s the smallest interactions that carry the greatest risk.
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*Carla and Dan are fictional, based on real examples of online behaviour.
This is the fifth article in a series about social media use for doctors. If you haven’t read the earlier pieces, I encourage you to go back and lay the groundwork – 1, 2, 3, 4.
Dr Maria Li is a general practitioner, a member of the World Health Organization’s Fides network of social media health care influencers, the host and producer of The Safe Practice Podcast, and co-host of The Good GP podcast.
The statements or opinions expressed in this article reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy of the AMA, the MJA or InSight+ unless so stated.
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If you would like to submit an article for consideration, send a Word version to mjainsight-editor@ampco.com.au.