Manipulating The Masses Podcast: Social Media & Anti-Vaxxers

In this episode of Manipulating The Masses we’ll be talking about the power of social media to change the national conversation. Specifically, we’ll discuss how the rise of the Anti-Vaxxer movement was fueled by social media platforms. More specifically we’ll dive into how flawed social media algorithms became even more blemished when trying to keep people engaged and on-site.

In 2018, about 20% of Americans said they got their news most often from social media. In just one year, in 2019, that number increased to 59%. Find more stats from the Pew Research Center on news use across social media platforms in 2020 and previous years.

We take a deeper look into the power of social media to influence our understanding and opinions on current events and what can be done to create a more informed and educated public.

Has social media influenced your understanding of current affairs?

Is there anything social media companies can do to fight against disinformation campaigns?

Listen to the podcast on Spotify