Investigative journalist Dr. Deborah Cohen explores how social media algorithms are influencing people’s perceptions of health in her new book, “Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health.”
Cohen spoke with Live Science editor Hannah Osborne about the ways online platforms shape healthcare understanding. The core argument of her work centers on how these algorithms create a distorted view of wellness and medical information for users.
According to Cohen, there's “a sense that these algorithms are objective and they get to know you.” This perceived objectivity leads individuals to trust the health-related content presented to them by social media platforms without critical evaluation. The book details how this can lead to misinformed decisions about personal health and treatment options.
The discussion highlights a growing concern regarding the influence of unregulated online information on public health, suggesting that algorithms prioritize engagement over accuracy when curating content for users. This prioritization can exacerbate existing health anxieties or promote unproven remedies.
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