Cécile Simmons speaks with BBC about the spread of health disinformation online

Cécile Simmons, a Research Manager at ISD, spoke to the BBC about the proliferation of health disinformation on popular podcasts. During the conversation, she explained, “health-related clickbait content with scary titles does really well online with the algorithm amplifying that.” The article highlights how the host of one of the most popular shows in the UK allows health disinformation claims to air without pushback. 

“He has financial stakes in health and wellness companies,” said Cécile. “And once you have financial interests, you have then the further interest in focusing on health and nutrition.”

She added that these financial interests could influence not only the subject matter of his content, but also the selection of guests invited onto the show.  

You can read the full article on BBC’s website.