Influencers v. Doctors: The source of your advice matters.

Why are we trusting amateur doctors for medical advice? It is no secret that social media can be highly reliable, but the health and wellness craze adds an entirely new level of depth to this misinformation problem. Social media’s effects on young adults and teens can be more negative than positive. In fact, an article from Columbia’s Irving Medical Center states that there is “growing research [that] finds that the more time spent on social media, the more likely a person will experience mental health symptoms like anxiety, isolation, and hopelessness.” While trying to fit in, young adults and teenagers become more likely to follow the advice they hear from influencers and other content creators. The recent rise in health and wellness awareness is a key example of social media causing harm to consumers, specifically influencer recommendations. According to McKinsey Consultants, “the wellness market is growing quickly. Overall, around 50 percent of US consumers now report wellness as a top priority in their day-to-day lives, a significant rise from 42 percent in 2020.” Uneducated people who gain a large following on social media have harnessed the power of the wellness industry and used it to sell products from diet plans to workout regimens. Their followers often trust this information despite the source's lack of expertise or credibility.

During the summer, the World Health Organization raised questions about the risks of a popular artificial sweetener, Aspartame. Following the accusations, the American Beverage Association paid 35 health professionals to create online content telling consumers that the claims were incorrect. According to the Washington Post, “the trade group paid an undisclosed amount to 10 registered dietitians, as well as a physician and a fitness influencer, to use their social media accounts to help blunt the WHO’s claims that aspartame, a mainstay of Diet Coke and other sodas, is ineffective for weight loss and ‘possibly carcinogenic.’” The main issue with these posts was that it was unclear that the videos were sponsored, resulting in many consumers being unsure if they should avoid the substance or not. “Currently there is almost no oversight on how influencers operate – despite the fact that they are paid for their "work" on social media platforms,” says Peter Suciu in a Forbes article questioning the trust viewers should have in social media influencers.

The lack of rules for influencer marketing has allowed companies to hide their ads in what seems like innocent content. As a result, viewers often believe a video is meant to be a simple recommendation when, in reality, it is an advertisement. While this confusion is dangerous for any field, it is especially alarming for health and wellness awareness.

In 2021, pre-workout and protein powders began to gain popularity amongst teens on TikTok. While multiple influencers spoke of the great benefits of these substances, many failed to mention that the supplements were created for those over the age of 18. As described in an article for the New York Post, Nelson Chow, a pediatrician at Princeton University gathered a team that “looked at 100 TikTok videos with the “pre-workout” hashtag and found that only one in twelve showed how to ingest the powder properly.”

Society’s reliance on social media is likely to continue to grow, and it is important to recognize and advocate against the lack of restrictions in this heavily influential field. The Federal Trade Administration recently issued more restrictive guidelines for disclosure of paid promotional videos and other social media content, but until the government steps in, consumers need to be smart on their own.

Diana Davidson