Edited by- Devanganna Jain
If you have spent any time on the internet, you may have come across celebrities (and other famous people) talking about many things. They (obviously) talk about their work, give their opinions on global issues, run awareness campaigns and express their thoughts on just about anything. Sometimes these things intersect, either as a part of their regular work or subsidiary activity, such as an entrepreneurial venture. While having celebrities as the face of an entrepreneurial venture does have its merits, such as attracting attention, it may not always be the best for the larger cause and ultimately, spread misinformation since the celebrity is not an expert in the field. While this is not an ideal situation for any subject, it can become dangerous if it is a topic related to people’s everyday lives. This becomes all the more true in the case of science, particularly when it relates to daily life and wellness. Due to purposes of ease (aka the word limit), I will focus on celebrities (actors, influencers, singers, etc) and their role in spreading pseudoscience.
Celebrities and influencers having their own wellness, beauty or fitness venture is not a new phenomenon in this day and age, and there is nothing inherently wrong with it. It becomes a problem when the values presented by the brand get taken as the word of god because of the celebrity’s fame and the advertising of the product. It is a convergence of these that brings the risk of misinformation being spread among the public. This has the potential to turn into an issue of public concern in this internet age when people usually tend to consume whatever suits their preconceived notions, tastes and beliefs. Their existing beliefs then get solidified and they become more unwilling to understand alternative viewpoints. Many a time, they believe the wrong information that is endorsed by a celebrity and refuse to take a look at the evidence that goes against what they believe in. An example of this can be seen in the effect of celebrities promoting anti-vaccination views. A study by ‘BMJ Health & Care Informatics’ found a link between celebrities’ anti vaccination views on social media and public opinion against COVID-19 vaccines. A positive example related to celebrities and vaccine promotion could be seen in the boosted vaccination efforts in the US when celebrities like Elvis Presley and Ella Fitzgerald endorsed the polio vaccine, leading to an increase in vaccination rates. In cases like these, misinformation can potentially turn into disinformation and lead to a public health crisis- fewer people would be willing to get vaccinated against transmittable diseases, thus leading to an increase in the outbreaks of these diseases.
A less extreme example of celebrities spreading misinformation and affecting public life can be seen in the wellness brands that they started. Take the example of the company “Goop” founded by the American actor Gwyneth Paltrow. Goop has gotten into a lot of controversy for its claims about what its products can do. An instance of this was a product called “Jade Eggs” which claimed to improve one’s sexual wellness when placed in the vagina. However, research on this has disproved it and there is evidence to show that it could be harmful if used. Although this particular product has been marketed and sold mainly in the US and Canada, products advertised and sold by alternative healthcare and wellness practitioners are not limited to those countries alone. India is one such country where alternative healthcare and wellness products (here, I am referring to those that do not follow the allopathic system of medicine) still have a lot of followers and practitioners mostly because a lot of it is grounded in the system of medicine that was used in the past. Many practices that they would have followed in the past are groundless and do not correspond with modern research, but they still have a huge base of followers. Why is it so? Although it is easy to just dismiss it as belief in “superstition” and holding on to traditional beliefs, there is some nuance needed for this discussion. In many places in India, especially where access to modern healthcare is a hassle, traditional systems are still used purely because it is the most accessible form of healthcare and it is not the ideal situation for those involved in getting the treatment, especially if it is a sensitive issue that requires specialised medical care. This is something that is likely known by them but ignored because they have no other choice. In light of such a situation existing, the over-glorification and romanticisation of alternative healthcare and wellness practices shouldn’t be promoted in a country like this, especially by celebrities as they are put on a pedestal by a majority of the population.
Do celebrities owe the public something? Maybe, maybe not. Should they be held responsible for the false claims that they make? Yes, because the power they have over the general population is immense. Situations like this arise because celebrities are usually hero-worshipped by people, so one way to help combat this would be to stop taking celebrities’ claims for the word of god and start looking at them through a critical lens. At the end of the day, they too are humans and they too are a part of the general public so we as consumers shouldn’t expect a lot from them. After all this, if you choose to buy from Goop, it’s on you.