Facebook’s covert experiment on 700,000 users has resurfaced—this time drawing fire from Joe Rogan, who labeled the psychological manipulation “sinister” and disturbing. The 2012 operation revealed the extent to which social media giants are willing to go to control minds without consent.

Facebook’s Emotional Experiment Exposed

Without warning or permission, Facebook altered the news feeds of nearly 700,000 users, exposing them to either overly negative or overly positive posts in an attempt to test emotional contagion. The experiment proved what many feared—digital manipulation works. Users who saw negative content posted more negativity themselves, while those shown positivity followed suit.

The public didn’t find out until 2014, when outrage exploded over the ethical breach. Though Facebook insisted it had user “permission” via its vague terms of service, critics weren’t buying it. No one knowingly signed up to become a lab rat for emotional manipulation.

Joe Rogan left shocked by ‘sinister’ Mark Zuckerberg brainwashing experiment that warped minds of 700k people https://t.co/mTgWOqfNDZ

— Joe Rogan Podcast News (@joeroganhq) May 21, 2025

Emotional Damage, Suicide Reports, and No Accountability

According to conversations on the Joe Rogan Experience, some of the 700,000 test subjects experienced serious emotional distress, with claims of suicidal thoughts and attempts emerging after the experiment. The emotional toll of this secretive manipulation was never formally investigated, and no one at Facebook was held accountable.

Joe Rogan Shuts Down Mark Zuckerberg’s Bogus Claim About COVID

Mark Zuckerberg’s attempt to rebrand himself as a free speech absolutist seemed to be working—until he made this fatal error at the end.

THREAD pic.twitter.com/QSSt2Bc1yF

— The Vigilant Fox (@VigilantFox) January 10, 2025

Despite public outcry, legal action stalled. The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a complaint with the FTC, and the UK’s data watchdog launched an investigation—but no real consequences followed. Facebook walked away clean, setting a chilling precedent for how far Big Tech can go.

Rogan Sounds the Alarm on Social Engineering

On his show, Joe Rogan tied the Facebook experiment to larger concerns about media bias and digital manipulation, referencing Dr. Robert Epstein’s work on how search engines like Google can influence voting behavior. The implications are massive—manipulated content doesn’t just shift moods—it can shift elections.

With Meta now canceling its third-party fact-checking program in the U.S., citing free speech concerns, questions are growing about who controls the flow of truth online. If companies can engineer your emotions, what else are they tweaking?

Rogan didn’t mince words: “This is sinister stuff.”

A Wake-Up Call for American Users

As more Americans become aware of just how deeply their emotions, behavior, and beliefs are shaped by algorithms, pressure is mounting for serious tech accountability. Experts are calling for new transparency laws that would require tech companies to disclose their experiments and obtain informed consent before tampering with human psychology.

For everyday users, it’s a clear warning: your timeline isn’t just curated—it may be manipulated. And when a platform’s goal is profit over ethics, your mental state becomes a test subject.

Sources:

Joe Rogan guest reveals secret Facebook test on nearly 700,000 users | Daily Mail Online

Joe Rogan left shocked by ‘sinister’ Mark Zuckerberg brainwashing experiment that warped minds of 700k people | Daily Mail Online