Influencer spread ‘threat to vulnerable’

Officials in two countries have expressed concern at the spread of online ‘Influencers’ and the affects they are having on vulnerable people.

Turkish Education Ministry officials say the recent surge in ‘influencer teachers’, who create videos with students and garner income and followers through related posts on social media, needs to be addressed.

In a statement, the Ministry said some influencer teachers have “virtually transformed schools into film sets”, threatening the quality of education and safety of students.

“Following the Ministry’s ban on the use of mobile phones in schools for primary, middle and high school students, and despite the instruction from Minister, Yusuf Tekin that teachers refrain from using phones in class as much as possible, these influencer teachers continue their activities,” the statement said.

“Some create entertaining videos, while others film disadvantaged students' hardships with emotional music in the background. Furthermore, some of them earn significant sums of money by accepting advertisements.”

Academic, Yusuf Kızıltaş, who first used the term ‘influencer teachers’, pointed out that teachers rehearse their videos during class hours.

“Although dealing with these videos may seem fun, it could potentially hinder students from acquiring knowledge during essential learning hours,” Mr Kızıltaş said.

Highlighting the potential security threats posed by the frequent exposure of children on social media platforms, Mr Kızıltaş said among those following teachers were a large number of accounts engaged in paedophilia and sharing explicit content.

The Netherlands Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) is worried about the growing number of celebrities and influencers spreading health advice on social media.

Chair of the MEB, Ton de Boer said these people mostly do not have the medical knowledge to back their claims, which could have dire consequences.

“It is important to remember that they earn money from the supplements and products they advertise,” Professor de Boer (pictured) said.

He said one concerning development was influencers swearing by natural contraception.

“Abortion clinics are reporting an increasing number of young women with unplanned pregnancies, many of whom said they were using natural contraception. The number of abortions was 15 per cent higher last year than in 2021,” he said.

The MEB has launched a campaign to warn people against periodic abstinence as a means of avoiding pregnancy.  

“It is important that women have the facts straight about reliable contraception so that they can make a well-considered choice for themselves. Use reliable information for your decision,” Professor de Boer said.

General practitioners have also noticed an increased interest in supplements.

One GP, Jojanneke Kant said people saw a celebrity or a health influencer promoting a supplement on social media “but if you have a normal diet, there is no need to use supplements at all”.