Dalya Karezi, a medical Influencer, pretended to be a doctor on social media platforms TikTok and Instagram and offered advice regarding several health topics.
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Medical Influencer convicted for pretending to be Doctor
Dalya Karezi, 30, based in Australia, made videos between February and September 2021 on topics including paracetamol toxicity, HIV, ovarian cancer, fibroids, testosterone, and foods people should feed their toddlers, and shared them on social media platforms Instagram, and TikTok.
In her videos, many of which attracted over 15 million views and a million likes, she wore scrubs and carried a stethoscope to imply she was a medical practitioner. Her name on the bio section of Instagram read “Dalya 🩺 MD Doctor”.
Her TikTok and Instagram accounts, where she was posting as a medical Influencer, have since been taken down.
Karezi’s pretense, however, extended far beyond TikTok and into her real life, when she took a project coordinator position with NSW Health and the Cancer Institute. While the roles did not require a medical qualification, Karezi sent emails in which she claimed to hold titles such as doctor, MBBS, visiting medical officer, master of reproductive medicine, resident medical officer, and OB-GYN.
As a fake medical Influencer, Karezi gained fame and recognition for her work as an advocate in Western Sydney amongst the Iraqi and Kurdish communities. Her efforts included a campaign called ‘Shisha, No Thanks’ which aimed to discourage the use of Middle-Eastern water pipes known as shisha for health reasons.
Karezi’s defense attorney, Erasmus Lovell-Jones, stated that his client had a psychological fragility that made it tough to say no to social invitations. Lovell-Jones added that Karezi, who was studying health science, met someone who thought she was studying medicine. Karezi didn’t correct the person, and this led to various opportunities.
Nonetheless, on Wednesday, Karezi faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court and pleaded guilty to two charges of using the name, title, or symbol of a health practitioner while not being registered, which carries a maximum penalty of $60,000 and jail time. She has been convicted and ordered to pay more than $13,000 and two years of community service after a judge said her offenses were “extensive, prolific, and pervasive”.
For those who rely on medical advice from TikTok, this conviction is a reality check. It’s time we all reconsider the accounts we follow on social media.
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