Courtesy health influencers, in the past few months, I have learnt that I need to “activate my vagus nerve” and “lower my cortisol levels” first thing in the morning. The helpful reels carry an offer to learn the appropriate techniques—for a fee, of course.
If you dig in, it becomes clear that walkers and yoga practitioners have been doing it right all along, without a clue as to where is the vagus nerve or what is cortisol. The medicalisation of everyday routine has become a viral phenomenon, thanks to social media. While there is a lot promised, there’s little evidence of what works and what doesn’t.
There is a boom in commercialisation of health, with social media algorithms targeting users with supplements, tests and therapies that claim to reverse diabetes, arthritis, obesity and even improve mental health. Protein powders, prebiotics and probiotics have acquired the status of panacea. Content creators are often surrogate advertisers. They are not bound by the protocols of medical research or scrutiny. Their claims are often backed by anecdotal stories.
The tantalising information that is shared on new drugs could be accompanied by a do-it-yourself version with ingredients from the kitchen. What this would trigger is a subliminal awareness of a treatment, which arms patients with information to confront their doctors at the next appointment.
Elon Musk is reported to have said recently that the short-form video is one of the worst inventions mankind has ever made. This was in the context of reduced attention spans and increasing distractions. They are also potent carriers of misinformation and disinformation. But for the many who have valorised the short video form by monetising content with an eye on celebrity status, it’s a goldmine.
This does not bring with it any responsibility of validating or making verifiable claims. Users tend to form para-social relationships with influencers based on trust. A celebrity nutritionist blithely advises everyone, even if they are diabetic, to eat seasonal fruits, including calorie-rich bananas and mangoes. This is directly in conflict with medical advice, as it is not nuanced and does not consider the severity of the medical condition. However, most followers gladly listen to the influencer to justify their cheat diets that could have adverse health consequences.
India’s consumer affairs ministry has a regulation that requires celebrities and influencers to give out proper disclosures and disclaimers while endorsing health-related products. This does not apply to general wellness or health advice. Therefore, there is a blanket of opacity behind which misinformation-as-a service is peddled.
Social media feed is borderless and reaches us from jurisdictions where local regulations do not apply. What actually works is the fact-checking being done by a committed group of doctors who bust misinformation. But their numbers are hardly adequate.
Social media users should develop a healthy scepticism when they come across medical advice by unqualified content creators and satisfy themselves regarding the veracity of the information. A thumb rule is to check whether there is an attempt to sell a device or a plan in addition to the free insights and advice. However, many outright frauds can still dodge detection. The Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar documents the case of an influencer who faked cancer as well as the cure.
The rise of posts on medical conditions is known to cause anxiety and mind fog among social media users. The increase in full-body MRI checks, without recommendation by doctors, by those who have no underlying conditions is a case in point. Even posts on neuro-developmental conditions like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD are reported to increase self-assessment tests by adults who tend to conflate procrastination and mild obsessions with the medical terminology.
But one of the positive outcomes of the spread of health-related posts is the coming together of support groups for patients and carers for chronic illnesses. Information on alternative therapies, and promotion of healthy lifestyles and diets could also be beneficial. Social media, if responsibly used, could bridge the gap that arises due to lack of communication with doctors, most of whom are hard-pressed for time.
The availability of AI chatbots to aid with medical diagnosis and advice is also gaining traction. The personalised nature of the interaction with bots makes them appear more relevant. There are people who turn to these models even to check on the dosage of medication. However, the potential for misinformation could be large.
AI chatbots, known to hallucinate, can be erratic and unreliable. Reports of how chatbots have aggravated mental health issues including inducing self-harm among users are a cause for concern. AI-enabled apps and bots rely on self-reporting of symptoms from a user seeking assistance. But whether they can effectively step into the shoes of a trained doctor who consider non-verbal cues as they observe and assess patients is an unanswered question.
Platforms are nudging users to opt for paid upgrades and premium plans. This is being contemplated for content creators as well. Whether the new features would have an impact on the creator and consumer economy remains to be seen. But it’s time for a reckoning. While users have been onboarded with promises that social media platforms are free, in effect, a free-for-all situation is playing out with carpet-bombing of misinformation and disinformation especially in matters of health. But the method in the madness is the personalised, algorithm-driven feed based on harvested individual data. In fact, reducing screentime and getting some sunshine may be the best bio-hack for fitness and good health.
Read all columns by Geetha Ravichandran
Geetha Ravichandran
Former bureaucrat and author of The Spell of the Rain Tree
