Information Sickness: How Our Media Environment Is Harming Public Health with Joshua Sharfstein & Joanne Kenen

Our information environment has become a social determinant of health. In this episode, Joshua Sharfstein, a public health leader and professor at Johns Hopkins, and Joanne Kenen, journalist in residence at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discuss how the collapse of local journalism, the design of social media algorithms, and politicization have created an “information sickness” that undermines personal and public health. They explain that traditional reporting once filtered out false claims through rules and accountability, while today’s engagement-driven platforms reward emotional misinformation that quickly becomes “sticky.” The guests explore the consequences of vaccine refusal, fractured families, and the urgent need for remedies, such as embedding misinformation experts in health agencies, utilizing trusted platforms, and fostering community trust. They emphasize that artificial intelligence will both fuel and fight misinformation, demanding institutional adaptation. Ultimately, they urge individuals to maintain an informed news diet and practice empathy across information divides, reminding listeners that public health must serve everyone, even those who disagree. Tune in to learn practical ways to counter health misinformation, from rapid pre-bunking to community partnerships and smarter use of AI! Resources: Connect with and follow Joshua Sharfstein on LinkedIn. Follow and connect with Joanne Kenen on LinkedIn. Learn more about Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on their LinkedIn and website. Buy Josh and Joanne’s book Information Sick here. Listen to the What The Health podcast here. Sign up for the Expert Insights Newsletter here.