Harvard Professor Explained How Social Media "Brainwashes" Users

In her resonant book "The Instability of Truth," history of science professor Rebecca Lemov reveals a disturbing trend: mind manipulation techniques, known for decades, are now actively used in the digital environment - from social platforms to the world of cryptocurrencies and even in the field of artificial intelligence.

The researcher introduces the concept of "hyper-persuasion" - a powerful combination of psychological pressure and emotional impact that plunges a person into a state of confusion. These sophisticated methods effectively take control of the information space and skillfully direct audience reactions in the desired direction. This phenomenon is most vividly manifested in social networks, where complex algorithms continuously feed users with content that causes real addiction.

The phenomenon of "brainwashing" first loudly resonated in public consciousness after the dramatic events of the Korean War, when American prisoners of war unexpectedly confessed to crimes they hadn't committed and even categorically refused to return to their homeland. Later, in the turbulent 1970s, the shocking story of Patty Hearst, who joined a radical group after being kidnapped, once again drew public attention to the frightening possibilities of psychological influence.

Lemov emphasizes a particularly troubling fact: even intellectually developed and well-educated people can fall victim to skillful manipulations, since these techniques target not rational thinking, but the deep emotional sphere and hidden psychological traumas of the past. According to the researcher, the most reliable protection against such sophisticated influences is "mindfulness and close attention to one's own feelings."