While I don’t agree with elements of this, to be fair I DO agree with the view that ‘celebrities’/influencers shouldn’t be acting like medical experts. This includes inciting panic. I have anxiety and I do see instagram as a welcome escape from the news!
I don’t know if anyone here is familiar with study YouTuber Ruby Granger, but she posted a hugely misguided video on “cleaning to protect against coronavirus” and had to take it down. If she was giving out advice, many I’m sure world criticise too. That being said, her zoella content takes “light relief” to the extreme...!
Yeah I’m in two minds about it. Definitely agree there’s nothing worse than someone with a large audience spreading misinformation, especially in the midst of a crisis like this.
But I can’t help but feel Zoe wants to have her cake and eat it. She’s made millions as ‘the internet’s big sister’ and most importantly as an ‘
influencer.’ Yes until now that has largely meant recommending (and profiting from) cosmetics or sweets or Netflix shows... but the strength of her influence is clear, it bought that house. Her younger audience have grown up getting information and news from social media, and social media stars, rather than traditional sources. They will looks to her whether she likes it or not, and just as the regular news has a responsibility to the public to keep providing them with accurate information during this, I think she has a similar responsibility to educate herself and share it. Just providing people with links to some reliable sources and a few bullet points on the key elements would be enough.
I’m not talking about myself, im 30 years old and don’t need to get my news from zoella. But some of her teen and tween audience will be panicking and
anxious types. They are also of the age where your assessment of what’s real and fake is nowhere near as developed, so are probably seeing a lot of made up stuff online and swallowing it. I’m sure Zoe is feeling scared and uncertain- we all are. But I wish she would have the courage and decency to step up into the position she built for herself rather than hiding behind excuses.
as a good example. Should really have followed Kellys lead 
