Early this year, tragedy struck one of Australia’s natural attractions and social media hotspots. A 20-year-old died after jumping from a ledge at the Crystal Cascades waterfall, a secluded freshwater swimming spot near Cairns in north Queensland.
Despite signed warnings, the Japanese man ventured into a no-swim zone and failed to resurface. Police divers later recovered his body.
This wasn’t the first fatality at Crystal Cascades: similar incidents claimed the lives of an 18-year-old in 2014 and two others last year. It’s part of a troubling pattern driven by social media.
Sites like Crystal Cascades have seen an explosion in tourist numbers, fuelled by their aesthetic infamy on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The pursuit of the perfect photo or video often leads to ignorance or disregard of safety warnings, with visitors unaware of the inherent risks in such environments.
Across the globe, risky tourist behaviours have become a growing concern. Data from Australian researchers at the University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW) shows that India has the highest burden of selfie- and social media-related injury and death.
But when it comes to water-borne incidents, Australia, too, has seen more than its fair share. This is likely due to the nation’s large tourism industry, particularly young visitors and international students, and its numerous beautiful aquatic locations – many of which go viral on social media.
On a per capita basis, these trends remain troubling, highlighting a persistent issue that spans beyond raw numbers.
Using heatmap data, clear clusters are seen where incidents frequently occur. Locations like the Diamond Bay Reserve in Sydney and Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls in Queensland serve as magnets for thrill-seekers inspired by the content they see online.
For example, nine people died at the Figure Eight Pools south of Sydney in a series of incidents between 2016 and February 2019. The last of them, a 22-year-old student from Nepal, was swept off the rocks at high tide and did not resurface.
The charm of influencers
Social media platforms, influencers, and the quest for the perfect photo play a significant role in shaping these behaviours.
Straddling the line between educators and entertainers, influencers have a unique power to either promote safety or inadvertently encourage risk-taking. While many aim to showcase the beauty of nature responsibly, others push the boundaries for more engagement, often overlooking potential dangers.
Indeed, travel influencers interviewed for an upcoming research paper have reported they see themselves as “entertainers, not educators”.
The trouble with social media-related harm in the real world is that no stakeholder wants to be held accountable. Social media companies don’t take responsibility for content that can lead to harm; influencers see themselves as mere performers.
Meanwhile, users who imitate behaviours seen online view themselves as victims when something goes wrong; while the media likes to put the blame on these victims.
Some land managers, such as the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, have tried to educate people on the risks of visiting hazardous locations. But it’s unclear how effective this has been and will be – whether this appeals to and resonates with those most at risk of social media-driven incidents.
What can be done?
Social media-driven behaviour is highly motivated by social norms and the need for peer approval. Collaborating with influencers on risk messaging may be a step in the right direction, but influencers may not see a benefit to providing this type of content if it doesn’t improve their engagements.
Land managers have a responsibility to protect people on their property, such as national parks, but there is only so much they can do with warning signs, barriers, websites, and legacy methods of communication. For social media-driven tourists, this may not be enough.
Lastly, there needs to be personal responsibility and the tacit acknowledgement that actions have consequences.
Of course, one mistake shouldn’t lead to grave injury or death. People need the tools to make educated and informed decisions about their behaviour in the outdoors, so they can enjoy themselves and get home safely.
This article was written by Samuel Cornell, researcher at UNSW Sydney, for 360info.