Politicisation and polarisation of health during COVID-19: A digital ethnography of alternative health influencers

This article examines how public health information was contested on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this digital ethnography of four Finnish alternative health influencers, we examine how influencers contributed to politicisation and polarisation of health attitudes and pandemic governance, and how these dynamics evolved from the early to later stages of the pandemic.Drawing on social media content from three key periods - early pandemic (Jan–Jun 2020), late pandemic (Oct-Dec 2021), and post-pandemic (May-Apr 2025) – the study reveals that influencers fostered politicisation and polarisation of health as well as distrust in authorities. They did so by leveraging: 1) lay expertise grounded in personal (pre-pandemic) healing narratives, 2) alternative immunological framings, 3) overt political opposition to public health measures, and 4) engagement with conspiracy narratives. The influencers’ communication was marked by opportunism, blending political activism, commercial interests, and personal wellness branding. By aligning with values of authenticity and trust, they cultivated belonging within alternative or conspiritual health communities. However, the influencers followed diverse trajectories in terms of politicisation and conspirituality, demonstrating the pandemic polarisation of health attitudes even within the alternative health scene. This study offers critical insights into the evolving dynamics of health politicisation and the role of social media in shaping public trust in medical expertise.