Two step flow theory is now commonly used in the various media relations in contemporary society.As we learned before,this theory suggests that media messages isn’t directly influence the mass audience but instead are mediated by “opinion leaders,”who explain and choose the messages before passing them on to other people.In my viewpoint，Internet celebrities and stars, as figures that inherently carry topics and traffic, often serve as ‘opinion leaders’ who drive and promote certain commercially valuable matters, making these products or topics the hottest discussions of the moment. This is especially evident in a recent incident involving Thailand’s ‘The Icon Group,’ which 18 popular Thai celebrities were arrested for their alleged involvement in a fraud case related to the promotion of false products, with the case involving an amount as high as £6.9 million.
As a core part of the Two-Step Flow Theory, the “opinion leaders” in this incident are primarily celebrities who leveraged their fame to promote the company’s false products. The Icon Group recruited several well-known Thai actors, such as actress Min, actor Sam, and host Kan, as spokespersons for the company. Through various online endorsements and offline celebrity lectures, they created a buzz around the products while having these celebrities vouch for them with their “reputation.” This led to fans of these celebrities, as well as unsuspecting viewers, being deceived.
The products promoted by The Icon Group were mainly health supplements. They initially used opinion leaders to advertise that “the product is worth investing in,” attracting some business-minded individuals to join the company as “agents” to sell these products. Under the heartfelt endorsements of the opinion leaders, many people indeed purchased some products to stock up for future resale. However, the reality was that these products did not sell as well as advertised and often had to be sold at a loss.
Through this incident, we can see that much of the information we receive is consciously filtered, and in many cases, we are far from the truth. Textbooks are actually a typical example of this. The education department deliberately cultivates the talent it desires and promotes the knowledge it wants us to learn. If a country currently needs more talent in technological innovation, it may incentivize students to choose subjects like physics through corresponding policies. These principles align with the Two-Step Flow Theory.
From a social perspective, opinion leaders have the responsibility and obligation to promote and even lead positive and accurate information that reaches a wider audience, rather than, like the opinion leaders in the above case, deceiving others for their own benefit. As information recipients, we should also cultivate our ability to select information and become our own opinion leaders.
Sources:
Khaosod English -October 17, 2024 2:19 am… อ่านข่าวต้นฉบับได้ที่ : https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2024/10/17/the-icon-group-18-bosses-are-arrested-and-spend-a-night-in-cell/
Khaosod English -October 14, 2024 3:17 am… อ่านข่าวต้นฉบับได้ที่ : https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2024/10/14/the-icon-group-scandal-echoes-past-frauds-as-thai-celebs-face-backlash/
18 celebs arrested over iCon scam, Veg festival deep dive – Oct 17 – YouTube
