Social media influencers have been urged to cease seeking risky selfies with sharks following a recent surge in attacks. While shark bites are infrequent, at least three influencers have been targeted in the past year, raising concerns among scientists about the trend of swimming too close to these apex predators, sometimes even touching or riding them.
Fishing influencer Henry Gibbs narrowly avoided a severe injury on July 18 when a reef shark attacked him while he was spearfishing in Fiji. Gibbs sustained an injury to his right leg that required four surgeries and a skin graft. In December 2025, a Chinese content creator in the Maldives was bitten by a nurse shark. Researchers at the International Shark Attack File, which monitors global human-shark interactions, have noted an uptick in shark attacks on individuals filming them over the last three years. A study of 'swim with wildlife' tours indicated that influencers and photographers were the most prone to disregarding safety protocols.
Earlier in 2025, a tourist in the Caribbean had both hands severed by a bull shark while attempting to photograph it from shallow water. Two months later, a snorkeler off the coast of Israel was reportedly killed by sharks while trying to take a picture with a selfie stick.
Despite these incidents, the overall risk of shark bites remains low, with the number of attacks generally stable at approximately 70 per year for the past three decades. However, shark scientist Kristian Parton observes an increase in shark attack footage appearing online weekly, suggesting a rise in serious incidents. Parton emphasizes that sharks are large, wild animals and approaching them in their habitat causes stress, impacting their survival.
Tayane Dalazen, a Brazilian social media personality, recounted an April incident where a nurse shark bit her thigh during a diving trip. Dalazen noted that the sharks were unusually numerous and present at the surface, which she later learned was due to the tour operators feeding them to encourage interaction with tourists. After the bite, which left her with lacerations, she posted footage of the event online, where it garnered millions of views.
Experts like Dr. Jack Cooper question the conservation benefits of influencers touching or riding sharks, viewing such encounters as human harassment rather than conservation efforts. Marine biologist Eric Clua suggests that the proliferation of social media videos depicting sharks as less dangerous contributes to the increasing number of incidents caused by people getting too close. He notes the influencer message often implies "Look! Touch the shark, nothing will happen to you." Shark diving and swimming experiences are gaining popularity globally, with some tour operators advertising "the ultimate selfie" with sharks, a trend experts warn could lead to painful consequences.