What should the role of high-profile professional surfers be when it comes to their presence on social media and the messages they convey to millions of fans and the general public?

Where do you draw the line between what to say and what not to say? Are there topics that should be addressed more than others?

Which things should and shouldn’t be addressed? How relevant are the opinions of pro surfers on politics, religion, and health?

Is there an optimal balance of common sense, fairness, and moderation when you’re an influential personality with a voice that echoes across the world?

I admit to having more questions and doubts than answers and solutions. However, the exercise of reflection is never too much, so here we go.

From Beach Bum to a Role Model Sport

Long are the days when surfers were among the pariahs of society.

The image of the blonde and tanned beach bum surfer that the media and Hollywood helped build is nearly deconstructed.

Nowadays, surfing enjoys a respectable reputation as a sport and health promoter, and is pretty much an outdoor activity most parent would be OK with regarding their children’s physical education.

We’ve reached a stage where surfing has been “prescribed” by doctors to patients, either to improve posture or address mental health issues like depression, stress and anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

We know it works. We know it’s good for the mind and body to be immersed in the ocean and spend time by the sea.

Reputation takes time to build and seconds to destroy.

Surfing has come a long way to reach this stage of credibility, trust, and confidence. It built bridges with complementary sports and fields of knowledge.

The sport and its participants embraced yoga, Pilates, meditation, swimming, and strength training, and wrapped it up with healthy ways of eating, keeping simple, nutritious food, and water as their diet cornerstone.

Drugs are increasingly rare among surfers. They’re just incompatible with waves.

Surfers have also become weather and meteorology specialists, with experience and knowledge to share in their communities.

At some point, someone said that surfing is the new golf. I am sure you get the picture.

The Voice of Influential Pro Surfers

We at SurferToday have worked on a list of the most followed surfers on social media.

To put things into perspective, the inventory is led by Gabriel Medina with a combined total (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) of over 15 million followers; Kelly Slater has around six million loyal fans.

Although still very far from Cristiano Ronaldo’s 950 million followers, we’re still talking about many people reading, watching, and listening to what surfers have to say.

Professional surfers are ambassadors of something very ethereal, yet very powerful and diverse, called surf culture.

In a way, they represent more than themselves. They symbolize the lifestyle and the spirit of what it means to ride a wave.

Their social presence shapes how surfing is perceived worldwide. Their voice matters and is followed by journalists and CEOs of the world’s largest companies, who, interestingly, also picked up surfing.

Have you seen how many high-profile individuals surfed Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch?

Names like Medina, Slater, Bethany Hamilton, Italo Ferreira, and John John Florence are role models for youth.

Many fans are teenagers or young adults who look up to their style, attitude, and choices.

These surfers are the bridge that we’ve mentioned above between the sport and society, and can elevate awareness on ocean conservation, mental health, inclusivity, or community issues.

These are things that naturally align with the surfing ethos that I’m sure we all want to contribute to and improve.

It’s like a sculpture in progress – every minute, every day, we make it a little bit better.

Where to Draw the Line?

Now, here’s where the discussion could diverge, dear reader. And obviously, it’s perfectly fine to disagree with the following words and ideas. No heart feelings.

Surfers are entitled to private opinions, but once shared publicly, those opinions become amplified by their platform.

So, is it fair to draw a line between what’s fair enough and what’s not?

My view is that the “line” is deciding what serves their community versus what is purely personal venting.

Freedom of expression doesn’t mean freedom from consequence.

Misinformation and aggressive polarization can damage reputations, alienate fans, and undermine the sport.

In the worst-case scenario, especially with topics involving health, it does have an impact on the listener’s life.

It could be wise to speak confidently in areas where they have lived experience (sports, training, travel, environment), and be more cautious in areas outside their expertise (medicine, complex geopolitics, religion).

The critical question, to which there is no universal answer, is: where do you draw the line between what an influential surfing personality should and should not say publicly? And, should there even be a line, or should freedom of speech be taken to its absolutely literal meaning?

The dilemma is similar to humor and comedy. To put it simply, are there any limits to what you can say?

If a surfer wants to share his thoughts on the healing power of acupuncture, the benefits of fasting, or the dangers of vaccines, is there a problem with that?

Topics That Deserve More Attention

Before I expose my sensitivity on these topics, I’ll take a safer and smoother road.

So, here are a few things I would love famous surfers to share with their fans and followers

• Environmental Stewardship: Oceans, beaches, reefs – these are surfers’ arenas. Their voices on climate change, plastic pollution, or ocean protection carry weight and credibility. Please, use them more and more. The world needs it;
• Mental Health and Well-being: Surfers often battle pressure, injury, and burnout. Speaking openly about mental health can help destigmatize it for fans. It’s such a growing worldwide problem that we need to address it together;
• Diversity and Inclusion: Surf culture is evolving, and pro surfers can help open the sport to people of all backgrounds and encourage inclusivity. We need more women surfing. We need more people from all latitudes surfing. We need more underprivileged children riding a wave for the first time;
• Community Connection: Local surf communities often struggle with coastal development pressures, beach access issues, or social tensions, and pros can advocate responsibly. A surf star can bring people together on any beach in the world;

Topics to Approach With Caution

Here’s where it becomes a little bit trickier, and opinions could certainly diverge.

I will be very honest and straightforward. I don’t care about what a professional surfer has to say about politics and religion.

I don’t follow a world champion surfer to know his thoughts on political matters, and I do think they should refrain from sharing them with their followers.

It’s a very personal topic that could easily escalate into online violence and hate. We all know how people behave behind a screen.

The same applies to religion. I don’t care if a pro surfer is Christian, Muslim, or an atheist.

My only problem with this is that we should all do our part to avoid polarizing and igniting tensions between people.

We’re all already surrounded by too much violence, war, hate, and discrimination, and surely need to cool things down.

As for health and science advice, I am extremely conservative and cautious.

Here’s why: millions of people, including our family members, have spent decades of their lives studying, researching, and reaching conclusions and solutions for improving our lives.

If we think their contributions over the last decades and even centuries are worthless, we are not looking at ourselves in the mirror; we’re disrespecting their work and dedication, which is certainly not less valuable than ours.

So, unless medically trained, surfers should avoid pushing specific treatments, diets, or medical claims, especially given the risks of misinformation.

Instead, they can share personal journeys (“this helped me”) rather than universal prescriptions. But even here, I have my doubts.

Balancing Common Sense, Fairness, and Moderation

In the end, my point is that, from a pro surfer, I mostly want to learn more about their technique, preparation, physical and mental training, and, eventually, be entertained with their travels and surfing experiences throughout the world.

If I were a pro surfer with digital influence, I would try to think twice and thrice about the implications and potential impacts of my posts.

I often say and believe that common sense is the world’s most valuable and least publicly available and seen skill.

If we had it and employed it more, I firmly believe the world would be a better place.

So, if a champion surfer feels what they are about to say is impulsive or inflammatory, it’s better left unsaid, or drafted and revisited later.

I would like athletes to keep their discourse constructive, fair, and moderate, and mostly focused on the topics that make them interesting to follow and learn from.

And that’s definitely not incompatible with speaking up often enough to stay authentic and relevant.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com