Female singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne replaced comedian Amy Schumer as the most dangerous celebrity to search for online. For the eleventh year in a row, McAfee researched famous individuals to reveal the riskiest celebrity to search for online. While the top ten “most dangerous” historically have included a mix of musicians, actors and TV hosts, this year’s research identified musicians as the top ten “most dangerous.” The research reveals which celebrities generate the riskiest search results that could potentially expose their fans to malicious websites.
Avril Lavigne has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, and is the second best-selling female artist in Canada of all time. Lavigne adds “first female musician to take the No. 1 spot on the McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities study” to her achievements. Lavigne was ranked number two in 2013 finishing behind Lily Collins on the list. Bruno Mars (No. 2) made his debut this year in second place followed closely behind by Carly Rae Jepsen (No. 3). Musicians Zayn Malik (No. 4), Celine Dion (No. 5), Calvin Harris (No. 6), Justin Bieber (No. 7), Diddy (No. 8), Katy Perry (No. 9) and Beyoncé (No. 10) round out the rest of the top 10 list.
Cybercriminals continue to use the fascination of consumers with celebrity culture to drive unsuspecting users to potentially malicious websites that can be used to install malware, steal personal information and even passwords. The study, conducted by McAfee and now in its 11th year, highlights the dangers of clicking on suspicious links when searching for celebrity-focused content.
“In today’s digital world, we want the latest hit albums, videos, movies and more, immediately available on our devices,” said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee. “Consumers often prioritize their convenience over security by engaging in risky behavior like clicking on suspicious links that promise the latest content from celebrities. It’s imperative that they slow down and consider the risks associated with searching for downloadable content. Thinking before clicking goes a long way to stay safe online.”
Searching for “Avril Lavigne free mp3” Results in a 22 Percent Chance of Landing on a Malicious Website
The global music market grew nearly 6% in 2016, so it’s clear that music continues to be a big part of the daily lives of consumers, so it’s no surprise that the top 10 celebrities are from the music industry. As artists go on tour, and release new albums and songs, the appetite for more content from these singer-songwriters continues to grow.
The top 10 celebrities from this year’s study with the highest risk percentage are:
| Position | Celebrity | Percentage | ||
| 1 | Avril Lavigne | 14.51% | ||
| 2 | Bruno Mars | 13.43% | ||
| 3 | Carly Rae Jepsen | 13.19% | ||
| 4 | Zayn Malik | 13.06% | ||
| 5 | Celine Dion | 12.92% | ||
| 6 | Calvin Harris | 12.48% | ||
| 7 | Justin Bieber | 12.33% | ||
| 8 | Diddy | 12.32% | ||
| 9 | Katy Perry | 12.25% | ||
| 10 | Beyoncé (search was conducted with “Beyonce”) | 12.09% | ||
The Most Dangerous Celebrities Outside of the Music Industry
While the 2017 McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities study was dominated by musicians several actors and actresses found their way onto the list including Anna Kendrick (No. 13), Jennifer Lopez (No. 20), Hailee Steinfeld (No. 23), Will Smith (No. 34), Jackie Chan (No. 38), Vanessa Hudgens (No. 44), Teyana Taylor (No. 45), and Zendaya (No. 50).
