Generally because 99% of people are not researchers and when they say "doing their own research" they mean reading a few blogs and facebook posts. Reading actual papers done by researchers is a step above that, of which a few people will skim maybe one paper.

What makes you think that? How do you know they are reading Facebook and not reading the papers? From what I've seen on HN, people commenting contrarian studies have actually read them.

I read through a lot of those threads, there wasn't much of value there, just angry people shouting at each other mostly. I'm not saying it should be banned, but I too stopped reading them eventually because what's the point?

Just gently pointing out that you’re inviting the same heated discussion warned about above you.

I'm just disputing the notion that only experts are right. It's not about being pro-mask or anti-mask or pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine