Smriti Khaannaa questions celebrity endorsement of WhatsApp username feature: ‘People trust stars without checking’
Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) TV actress Smriti Khaannaa has shared her views on the growing debate around celebrity endorsements and the responsibility that comes with promoting products or services.
Reacting to the concerns surrounding WhatsApp’s upcoming username feature, she emphasized that celebrities should be mindful of what they endorse and ask basic safety questions before lending their name to any promotion. In an exclusive quote shared with IANS, Smriti highlighted that star power influences public trust, and therefore it is important for celebrities to be responsible.
The ‘Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann’ actress said, “If they take money to promote it, they should ask basic questions like ‘Is this safe?’ They don’t need to be experts, but blind promoting is risky.”
Smriti added, “If the government is worried, promoting it early makes the celeb look careless. Better to wait. When a famous person says ‘use this’, people drop their guard. They think it must be safe without checking. If they stay silent, people think they don’t care. A simple “I’m aware of the issue and hope it gets fixed” helps.”
On whether endorsement deals have become more about money than responsibility, Smriti said, “The pay is huge, so some celebs don’t ask tough questions. But now they can be fined, so it’s getting risky.”
She acknowledged that a celebrity’s influence can often make people trust a product or service without questioning its safety or credibility. “When a famous person says ‘use this’, people drop their guard. They think it must be safe without checking.”
Smriti also mentioned that she believes that accountability should be an essential part of celebrity endorsements. The ‘Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal’ actress stated that if celebrities mislead people or fail to verify the products they promote, they should be held responsible and answerable to the public, especially because their followers place their trust in them.
For the unversed, the Centre recently raised concerns about WhatsApp’s username feature. It highlighted potential risks such as impersonation, fraud, and phishing attempts and urged Meta to pause the rollout. However, the feature had already received celebrity support before any official regulatory approval, with superstar Aamir Khan becoming one of its prominent endorsers.
Meanwhile, Smriti Khaannaa is widely known for her role in shows like ‘Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal,’ ‘Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann’, and ‘Ganesh Leela.’
–IANS
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