Joe Rogan Alarmed by Mark Zuckerberg’s Controversial Mind-Altering Experiment Involving 700,000 Participants
Joe Rogan Alarmed by Facebook’s Secret Emotional Manipulation Experiment
Podcaster Joe Rogan recently expressed shock after learning about Facebook’s covert 2012 experiment, where the platform altered nearly 700,000 users’ news feeds to study emotional contagion. Historian Rebecca Lemov, an expert on mind control, revealed on The Joe Rogan Experience that Facebook manipulated users’ feeds for a week, emphasizing either positive or negative content to influence their emotions and behavior. Critics condemned the study as unethical “brainwashing,” with some linking it to mental health crises, including suicide attempts.
Joe Rogan and Rebecca Lemov discussing covert social media experiments.
How the Experiment Worked
Facebook, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, claimed the goal was to enhance content relevance. However, researchers from Cornell and UC San Francisco covertly adjusted algorithms to prioritize emotionally charged posts. Users exposed to positive content posted happier updates, while those given negative content became more pessimistic. Lemov likened this to cult tactics, where emotions are weaponized to reshape thoughts. She emphasized, “It changed my feelings about my thoughts,” highlighting the psychological impact.
The study, published in 2014, sparked outrage as participants were unaware they were being manipulated. Lemov noted that Facebook’s terms of service allowed such “A/B testing,” trapping users in undisclosed research. At least one individual attributed a suicide attempt to the negative feed they encountered during the experiment. Authorities investigated but took no legal action, citing loose regulatory frameworks.
Facebook’s 2012 study manipulated feeds to test emotional influence.
Ethical Backlash and Legal Scrutiny
The FTC and UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office reviewed the experiment after complaints from privacy advocates. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) accused Facebook of deceptive data practices, but no penalties followed. Rogan criticized unchecked corporate power, stating, “Everyone’s vulnerable to manipulation… You could get away with so much.”
Broader Implications of Digital Mind Control
Rogan also cited psychologist Robert Epstein’s research on search engine bias, revealing how platforms like Google can sway public opinion. Epstein found that search results disproportionately influenced undecided voters, with algorithms suppressing certain viewpoints. For example, queries about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election reportedly favored pro-Clinton results, burying critical content. Rogan argued this censorship extends to “malinformation,” where factual but inconvenient truths—like vaccine side effects—are suppressed to shape behavior.
Public criticism labeled Facebook’s actions as psychological exploitation.
Conclusion
Meta disbanded its third-party fact-checking program in 2025 amid free speech concerns, reflecting growing scrutiny over tech giants’ influence. Rogan’s discussion underscores the urgent need for transparency and accountability in digital spaces, where covert experiments and algorithmic biases increasingly manipulate public sentiment. As Lemov warned, unchecked power over information poses profound risks to mental autonomy and democratic discourse.
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