THE CREDIBILITY TRAP: DOES ONLINE FAME EQUAL KNOWLEDGE?
Having millions of followers on social media doesn't make a person credible or even professional in a particular topic or niche they discuss online, it only makes them appear credible and knowledgeable in the media and to their followers, because of the information they make accessible to them. The digital space has made most people just assume that because a person gives medical advice online or speaks on health matters online, and automatically l makes them experts in that particular field, be it medical field, law field and even finance. The fact that a person is popular doesn't make them qualified to speak authoritatively on a subject. That, that doesn't mean that they can't pass on the wrong information to their audience, popularity doesn't make a person qualified to control people's opinion. Inasmuch as it's good to listen to diverse opinions, it's also necessary to filter information.
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Number of followers isn't a qualification. Having numerous followers could be because they are good content creators, people find their content engaging and interactive, also entertaining and appealing to the public, and these aren't qualifications. These things don't prove that they are educated enough or have gathered enough experience in their line of job, and experience and expertise is something that's really important when it has to do with the health of people, their safety, their financial decisions and legal matters.
I can only trust an Internet famous doctor for health tips, information and awareness, but when it gets to seeking help, I will be eager to get a professional and not rely on an Internet famous personality. Choosing a doctor for wellness solutions is different from seeking health tips.
I need to trust their credibility, know their personalities and their qualifications and that's necessary over accepting a doctor you barely know about their expertise.
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I won't trust a doctor because of their number of followers, because having numerous followers doesn't add to medical experience. I will choose a doctor who has undergone years of education and clinical training and a doctor who follows medical professional standards.
However, I'm not going to dismiss the information a famous Internet doctor is doing, because they are doing a great job passing educative information. An Internet famous doctor can also have the required qualifications and still use their platforms to pass useful information to ordinary people.
Even a professional doctor can make mistakes. I think what really matters is their knowledge and expertise in their field. Also, the evidence behind the claims is that they are the best and are experts in the skill. Also, social media have a way of making people believe that someone is credible enough, creating an illusion through comments, shares and engagements and these can convince a person otherwise. This is why it's necessary to confirm offline too. When a group of people believe a thing, it has the advantage of making a person feel convinced even when they are wrong.
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I totally believe that people should learn to separate influence from expertise. An influencer can influence how we think, but that does not mean they should determine the decisions we take for ourselves. It's necessary to ask where the information we get online is coming from, because most could be personal assumptions and not credible.
We should be able to check what qualifications they have and whether they're recognized by experts and if their claims are true. I would rather trust a person with the relevant knowledge, evidence, and not because of social media fame or popularity. Socia media popularity should be the reason we believe information or trust a person.