Apple Cider Vinegar: How social media gave rise to 'wellness influencer' fraud Belle Gibson

Belle Gibson's posts about her battle with cancer touched the lives of millions. But she never had cancer and her whole 'alternative medicine' narrative was the basis of a massive scam

Kaitlyn Dever in the Netflix series 'Apple Cider Vinegar' which tells the story of social media influencer Belle Gibson who proved to be a liar and scammer who never had cancer. Picture: Netflix

The new Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar tells the story of wellness influencer Belle Gibson, who built a loyal following on social media by documenting her cancer journey online. However, in 2015, Gibson was exposed as a fraud. She never had cancer, and lied about donating funds to charities and ill children.

The series documents Gibson’s rise to fame and subsequent downfall, portraying some of the psychological factors that influenced her deceit. But this scandal also illustrates a larger story about the conditions that enable cancer frauds such as Gibson to gain credibility and influence online.