The Safety of Social Media Instigated Visitation to National Parks in New South Wales, Australia: Insights From a Population Representative Sample

The study findings underscore the need for a stronger focus on visitor safety related to photography in NSW national parks, with acknowledgement of visitation instigated by social media. Risky behaviours associated with photography are prevalent and pose significant safety challenges. Public health initiatives should prioritise educational campaigns and safety infrastructure improvements that address risky photography behaviours, independent of social media influences. SO WHAT?: Park management should highlight personal responsibility and consider educational campaigns about the potential dangers of photography in these settings. Nevertheless, social media companies have a role to play in controlling dangerous content that is published on their platforms which is leading to risky behaviours in the real world.