Investigative journalist Dr. Deborah Cohen examines how social media algorithms distort health information in her new book "Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health."
Cohen argues that algorithmic curation creates a false sense of objectivity and personalization that undermines informed decision-making about healthcare. Social platforms prioritize engagement over accuracy, promoting sensational health claims that align with users' existing beliefs rather than established medical evidence.
The algorithms learn user preferences and feed increasingly targeted content, creating echo chambers around health topics. This system rewards posts that provoke emotional responses, whether accurate or not. Users encounter the same perspectives repeatedly, reinforcing misconceptions about treatments, vaccines, and disease prevention.
Cohen highlights how influencers and content creators exploit algorithmic amplification to build audiences around health advice, often without medical credentials or oversight. The platforms' recommendation systems treat health misinformation identically to legitimate medical information if both generate clicks and shares.
The challenge extends beyond individual choices. When algorithms shape collective understanding of health, public health initiatives face resistance rooted in algorithmically-reinforced beliefs rather than evidence. Cohen demonstrates how this dynamic played out during the COVID-19 pandemic, when medical guidance competed with viral health claims optimized for engagement.
Social media companies maintain that users control their feeds through their choices, yet Cohen's analysis reveals how algorithmic architecture limits genuine choice. The systems operate invisibly, shaping what information reaches people without transparent criteria.
Her investigation suggests that addressing health misinformation requires regulatory intervention beyond platform self-governance. The current model incentivizes volume and engagement metrics over public health outcomes. Cohen's work provides concrete examples of how technological design choices directly affect healthcare decisions affecting millions.
The book arrives as policymakers debate platform accountability and health literacy initiatives. Cohen's reporting underscores that the problem isn't simply bad information, but infrastructures that systematically promote it.