Their names are Alexis Gougeon, Myriam Beaudry and Kevin L’Espérance. They are respectively physiotherapist, nutritionist and epidemiologist. Tired of seeing misinformation circulating on social networks, especially when it comes to health, they set up training… in person.
The trio therefore decided to act at the source by setting up a unique training course to raise awareness among content creators. The idea: train influencers in critical thinking. The objective: to prevent them from promoting products and services without considering the potential consequences for their subscribers.
“What I see the most are influencers saying they take something and they think it helps them, so it must help everyone. Then, I also see a lot of paid partnerships,” summarizes Alexis Gougeon, physiotherapist behind the podcast show. Talk to me about health.
PHOTO NOÉMIE CADIEUX, PROVIDED BY SCIENCE INFLUENCE
Alexis Gougeon, Myriam Beaudry and Kevin L’Espérance
However, whether it is about nutrition, mental health or physical pain, advice cannot be given to everyone without taking into account their initial condition, recalls the trio. In other cases, such as intravenous vitamin therapy and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)1these are practices bluntly denounced by health professionals.
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A project that also benefits content creators
This misinformation is often very unintentional. This is at least one of the basic principles for the trio of trainers. “I see that content creators are full of good intentions. It’s the application that is clumsy,” believes nutritionist Myriam Beaudry, host of the podcast show Face to face with science.
With the training, entitled Influence health without harm, the trio therefore believes they have a winning proposition for everyone. For the public, who will be better protected. For health professionals, who will see fewer consequences of this misinformation in the clinic. And for content creators, who will avoid the repercussions of potential controversies and will be at the forefront of possible legislation that would regulate their profession, as happened in France.
Maude Belval, president of the board of directors of the brand new Association of Content Creators of Quebec (ACREA), confirms that this type of project is viewed favorably in the influencer world.
The industry responds very well [aux initiatives pour l’encadrer], both creators and agencies. Eventually, we hope to train creators to produce ethical and informed content.
Maude Belval, president of the board of directors of the Association of Content Creators of Quebec
Health, but not only
As health professionals, Alexis Gougeon, Myriam Beaudry and Kevin L’Espérance are especially concerned by misinformation in this area. But the tools they provide can also apply to false claims in beauty, mental health or even the environment.
“The training begins by making people aware that they have the power to influence,” summarizes Myriam Beaudry. Then, rather than talking about an area of health, the idea is to provide a toolbox of intellectual self-defense to be able to better recognize the traps into which we can fall. »
Culinary creator Loounie, whose real name is Caroline Huard, attended the beta version of the training. As a former occupational therapist, she saw “good reminders of critical thinking” and welcomes the tools provided. Learning to ask the right questions allows, for example, to determine if you are being contacted to send a message that constitutes greenwashing.
“If I am asked to advertise oatmeal by telling me that they are more ecological than the others, I need proof, data, certifications,” she illustrates.
With Influence health without harm, science trainers and popularizers aspire to instill critical thinking reflexes in content creators so that they change their actions. According to Marie-William Bourgeois, a content creator who was shaken in her beliefs during the training she followed in its beta version, it was quite successful.
“I received a box of vitamins in the days following the training,” she says. I thought it seemed like it was all the same thing. I think before [la formation], I would have just said to myself that it’s cool and I would have made a short-lived publication without asking myself any questions. There, I rather realized that I didn’t know about it and I didn’t talk about it. »
However, she qualifies her position: “In the last few days, I asked myself questions. It really got me thinking about how I wanted to do things on my social media. But that doesn’t stop me from taking my vitamins in the morning and still thinking it’s good for me. »
“We will never be able to eradicate all health misinformation,” recognizes Alexis Gougeon. This is why we are aiming for harm reduction. »
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