One-time pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne has beaten superstar Beyonce at something, but she may not be totally happy with her victory — she's been named the most dangerous celebrity on the internet.
Cybersecurity firm McAfee said Tuesday that Lavigne, whose last album came out in 2013, was the most likely celebrity to land users on websites that carry viruses or malware. Searches for Lavigne have a 14.5 percent chance of landing on a web page with the potential for online threats, a number that increases to 22 percent if users type her name and search for free MP3s.
FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2016 file photo, Avril Lavigne arrives at the 2016 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)
Bruno Mars was second in his debut on the list, followed closely behind by Carly Rae Jepsen. Zayn Malik (No. 4), Celine Dion (No. 5), Calvin Harris (No. 6), Justin Bieber (No. 7), Sean "Diddy" Combs (No. 8), Katy Perry (No. 9) and Beyonce (No. 10) rounded out the top 10 list.
It's a dubious step up for Lavigne, who was ranked No. 2 in 2013. Lavigne, whose hits include "Sk8er Boi," ''Complicated" and "I'm With You," has been out of the spotlight for several years as she battles Lyme disease.
McAfee had a few suggestions for why Lavigne scored so high on the 11th annual list: Interest after the artist said she's working on a new album, a feature story on her by E! Online and an internet conspiracy that she has been replaced by an impostor.
FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2016 file photo, Beyonce performs at a Get Out the Vote concert for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
Lavigne is the first female musician to take the No. 1 spot and replaced Amy Schumer, named the most dangerous celebrity on the internet in 2016. In 2015, it was Dutch trance DJ van Buuren.
The survey is meant to highlight the danger of clicking on suspicious links. McAfee urges internet users to consider risks associated with searching for downloadable content. The company used its own site ratings to compile the celebrity list and used searches on Google, Bing and Yahoo.
France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Secretary of State for Digital Affairs Marina Ferrari have been discussing ways to ensure mental health is looked after at the July 26-Aug. 11 Paris Games and Aug 28-Sept. 8 Paralympics.
Oudéa-Castéra pointed out the continued threat of cyberbullying to mental health in society in general, a risk she says is magnified when high-profile athletes are continually in the spotlight.
“Athletes as well as many of our citizens are exposed to these risks,” she said. “We are implementing the tools to help our athletes, but also our young and all French people.”
A study carried out by France’s National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) showed that 15% of athletes have shown signs of high anxiety or depression, with the first signs of psychological difficulties beginning on average at the age of 17.
The risk factors themselves are already well-known. They include being away from family for sustained periods of time, pressure from fans, expectations from sponsors, reactions from angry gamblers losing bets, fear of failure and constant pressure to get results. These factors are magnified by constant exposure on social networks.
So plans are in place to better protect mental health going forward.
Starting from June, the website France.sport dedicated to top-level athletes will have a “Santé Mentale” (Mental Health) section, which athletes can click onto. It features a guide with practical advice and a self-evaluation questionnaire. The athlete also has access to a psychologist recommended by INSEP. The same services will continue after the Games, and are also available for coaching staff.
INSEP will also work with other French sports organizations on a presentation to raise awareness on risks linked to mental health among athletes.
France's sports minister is working with other ministries on ways to develop and support the profession of Mental Coach — someone who works closely with athletes to help with their mental preparation in order to improve their performance.
At the Olympic Village in the suburb of Saint-Denis, a safeguarding officer from the French Olympic and Paralympic delegation and three welfare officers (who are trained psychologists) will be onsite during the Games. They will offer assistance to athletes and staff members who are experiencing mental health difficulties and, if needed, they can be mobilized to support athletes who are staying outside of the main Village.
The safeguarding officer on site is also dovetailing as a designated person of trust who alerts social network platforms in case of serious problems happening online.
An online application called Bodyguard is already being used by the French Tennis Federation and the French soccer league to give athletes better online protection, including content arriving in their private messages if they so wish.
“The psychological stability of athletes deserves all of our attention. More than ever, they should feel safe and should be supported when they go through moments of difficulty or doubt or have a need to express themselves,” Ferrari said. “The context of (athletes') lives exposes them to increased risks. They should be cared for with regards to these risks.”
Further discussions are scheduled to be held in the coming weeks with the main social network platforms.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
From left, French athletes Arnaud Assoumani, Pauline Deroulede, Romain Cannone, and Melina Robert-Michon stand on stage as they wear the French team uniforms for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at the Grand Palais Ephemere venue in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The countdown clock reading 100 days before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony is seen Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Paris. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will run from July 26 to Aug. 11. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
