Do people have a right to be fooled?

I was reading a recent discussion on social media and had a realisation.

Good communication skills don't always mean the information being shared is accurate or credible.

To be fair, I don't think this is a social media problem alone. Social media is just a platform. It simply gives people an audience that can be reached instantly and on a massive scale.

This discussion reminded me of a case I handled years ago.

A parent was seeking help for a child with a mental health condition. They had tried many things: black magic, astrological interventions, various complementary therapies, and advice from different sources. The one thing they had not tried was consulting a psychiatrist.

In my professional role, I spent a lot of time helping that family access evidence-based treatment.

Recently, I met the parent again. The child is now doing well with the medical treatment they are receiving. However, the parent told me they are planning to take the child to someone who is very popular on social media and mainstream media, someone promoted as a specialist in the brain.

I have had professional encounters with this individual before. From my perspective, there are questions about the way their credentials and expertise are presented. Yet they have built a significant following and a great deal of public trust.

This is not about any one person. I've seen similar situations many times.

People making decisions based on what they saw online.

People following recommendations from influencers.

People choosing treatments because someone they trust recommended them.

People seeking solutions through rituals, blessings, shanthikarma, astrology, or other non-medical approaches.

These experiences have left me with a question that I still don't have a perfect answer to.

What exactly is our role as professionals?

Should people be free to make their own decisions?

Is what I think is right always right?

Do I have the right to criticise another person's choices?

How fair is it to convince someone to follow what I believe is the correct path?

If I stay silent when I know better evidence exists, am I neglecting my responsibility?

The more I think about it, the more I realise another question sits underneath all of this.

How easy is it for people to make informed decisions in the first place?

When it comes to services, how do ordinary people judge quality?

Do we have reliable systems that help the public evaluate expertise?

Can we always trust reviews, testimonials, follower counts, or media appearances?

All of these can be influenced, manipulated, or misunderstood.

Perhaps the bigger issue is not whether people make good or bad decisions.

Perhaps it is how they decide what to trust.

Many people judge credibility through confidence, popularity, media exposure, or personal stories. Very few have the time or resources to evaluate qualifications, evidence, or outcomes.

This is not unique to social media. Social media has simply amplified a very human tendency.

Where have I landed on this?

I think people should absolutely have the freedom to make their own choices.

At the same time, professionals have a responsibility to provide accurate information, explain risks and benefits, and correct misinformation when necessary.

Inform, not control.

Guide, not force.

After that, the final decision belongs to the individual.

As professionals, we cannot control every choice people make. But we can do our best to ensure those choices are informed.

What people do with that information is ultimately their responsibility.

The challenge, I think, is making sure they have a fair opportunity to make an informed decision in the first place.