media studies The profit-driven nature of media technology exacerbated structural inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic through several mechanisms. Firstly, tech companies, fueled by surveillance capitalism, prioritized profit over public welfare, amplifying misinformation and sensationalized content for increased engagement and advertising revenue. This dissemination of inaccurate or sensationalized information disproportionately affected marginalized communities with limited access to reliable news sources, deepening existing disparities in health outcomes and access to resources