47: How a Tech Entrepreneur's Diet Claims Impact Public Health in California
In California, a well-known tech entrepreneur, Alex, publicly endorses a pseudoscientific diet that claims to boost cognitive abilities. His endorsement leads to widespread popularity of the diet, despite a lack of scientific evidence.
Individual outcomes
Alex's reputation suffers as he becomes an object of ridicule among the scientific community. Even after the diet benefits are categorically denied by the scientific community, he still gained support from fringe groups and was encouraged to persist. Worse, people misled by him exhibit temporary, but still significant cognitive impairment.
Societal outcomes
Societally, it leads to public confusion about health information and undermines trust in scientifically backed advice. It also creates a model, a pattern, that others may decide to follow in search for influence, fame, or financial gain. This model includes the belief that one’s own opinion matters more than that of experts in the field.
Competences involved in this scenario:
Social systems affected by this scenario:
D5. AI tools and disinformation
M7. Evaluation of multiple sources
Scientific Communities
Health and Wellness Industry
Media