Although she’s been out of the limelight since 2013, Avril Lavigne has been named the most dangerous celebrity on the internet by cybersecurity firm McAfee. Apparently, a search for “Avril Lavigne” is one of the most likely to lead to websites carrying viruses or malware in its eleventh annual listing.
Lavigne was number two on the list in 2016; McAfee attributes the increase to interest in a new release after she stated that she’s been working on a new album, a recent feature story on her by E! Online, and a truly bizarre internet conspiracy that she has been replaced by an impostor or a clone, a rumor begun in 2015 that has only persisted in popularity since. Her recent performance alongside Nickelback and ex-husband Chad Kroeger probably won’t help, either.
According to Billboard, McAfee stated that searches for Lavigne have a 14.5% chance of landing on a potentially threatening web page, and that the number increases to 22% if users type both her name and search for free MP3s.
Bruno Mars was second most likely to land users in digital hot water, and appears on the annual list for the first time this, followed by Carly Rae Jepsen. Zayn Malik (number four), Celine Dion (number five), Calvin Harris (number six), Justin Bieber (number), Sean “Diddy” Combs (number eight), Katy Perry (number nine), and Beyonce (number ten) complete the top ten of the survey, which is meant to highlight the danger of clicking on suspicious links. McAfee advises internet users to be cautious when searching for downloadable files and content, as these are a prime avenue for malicious hackers to gain access to systems.
