Amazon, Waterstones algorithms proactively promote vaccine misinformation

Amazon proactively recommended a wide range of anti-vaccination, health misinformation books, apparel and other products, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Washington also found (pdf) that Amazon's recommendation algorithms made matters worse by pushing users interested in these products at even more related products. 

In addition, follow-up research in the UK by Sky News found that Foyles and Waterstones online bookstores had been recommending a wide range of COVID-19 anti-vaccination and health conspiracy theory books to their users. 

Amazon, Facebook, Google, Twitter and other companies are under pressure to tackle the huge volume of online misinformation about COVID-19.

Research, advocacy 🧮

• Juneja P., Mitra T. (2021). Auditing E-Commerce Platforms for Algorithmically Curated Vaccine Misinformation (pdf)

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://news.sky.com/story/waterstones-and-amazon-urged-to-add-warning-tags-as-anti-vaccination-book-sales-surge-12234972

• https://www.euronews.com/2021/03/05/amazon-directs-customers-to-vaccine-misinformation-study-finds

• https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/amazon-covid-conspiracy-books

• https://venturebeat.com/2021/01/26/university-of-washington-researchers-say-amazons-algorithms-spread-vaccine-misinformation/

• https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/digital/amazons-algorithms-boost-vaccine-misinformation-says-study/80570501

• https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/29/uw-study-finds-amazon-promotes-vaccine-lies-especi/

• https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-algorithms-promote-vaccine-misinformation-uw-study-says/

• https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/artificial-intelligence/how-amazon-algorithms-are-spreading-vaccine-misinformation.html

• https://thenextweb.com/neural/2021/02/03/amazons-search-algorithm-spreads-vaccine-disinformation-study-finds/

• https://metro.co.uk/2021/03/08/amazon-and-waterstones-urged-to-add-warnings-to-anti-vaxxer-books-14206447/

• https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-amazon-algorithms-vaccine-misinformation.html