The Dark Side of Influencer Culture
Whilst the $1.5 billion online influencer industry is one of the fastest growing and most appealing to consumers today (Bolat, 2018), this seemingly luxurious and über-profitable industry has a dark side. The sexualisation of children, effects on mental health and susceptibility to fraudulent practices, can in turn yield disastrous results, especially for young people.
Social media, given its lack of regulation compared with other mediums, is vulnerable to the sexualisation and exploitation of young children. Influencer culture is no exception to this. A prime example of the commodification of a child’s physical appearance online is @Coco_pinkprincess, a ten year-old fashion influencer from Tokyo, who poses for photos in different outfits for the entertainment of 600,000 plus followers. Whilst most of Coco’s outfits are artistically conservative, her account was started by her parents at the age of six, a which point she had very little agency and no say in becoming a celebrity or object to be gawked at by strangers from across the world. An interviewee in Llovet, Díaz-Bustamante and Patiño’s (2016) investigation into the sexualisation of children in advertising, noted that ‘the apparent glamour of [the] profession hides a traumatic experience that has longed all her life’ (p. 160).
Furthermore, this is compounded with the way in which small time celebrities receive exposure has changed thanks to the internet. It used to be that a game show winner or relatively unknown models, despite their niche followings would still remain mostly unrecognised in their day to day life and perhaps even fade into obscurity. Whilst career wise this may seem like an undoubtedly positive development, the never-ending spotlight and scrutiny attached to it can be massively damaging to the mental health of those who face it. As micro-celebrities become influencers, they produce, ‘emotional content in which they display snippets of everyday life to maintain a sense of ordinariness’ (p. 15) all the while building their brand. This phenomena has gone so far that some influencer parents have begun creating ‘second-generation micro-celebrities’ and influencer families.
This never-ending fame and lack of privacy can massively impact the mental health of young people. Firstly, the constant comparison of likes between peers can cause immense of feelings of jealously and inferiority as some influencers base their self-worth on likes and follows. Another common issue is the conflict caused by trying to please and grow one’s audience whilst trying to remain authentic and true to oneself, leading to identity crises. Moreover, the issue of online trolling has never been more prevalent, with examples of tragic suicides such former Love Island contestant, Sophie Gradon.
The phenomenon of online influencing has afforded advertisers a new avenue to connect with audiences, spread their message and promote their product, whilst also offering those who may ordinarily be blackballed by the hermitic industries of modelling or entertainment a pathway to stardom. However, these uncharted territories also bring with them issues and the industry itself can be very brutal and uncaring, especially for children and young adults who are still finding their way in the world.
References
Bolat, E.B. (2018). Scrollin. Retrieved 4 January, 2021, from https://scroll.in/article/889695/the-dark-side-of-being-an-instagram-influencer-the-constant-pressure-for-likes-and-validation?fbclid=IwAR1S814B05apBbk6IzQ5RTVmERR8fld2y_dOfTenPj1SE78ANjfje8PhzIw
Llovet, C., Díaz-Bustamante, M., & Patiño, B. (2016). The sexualization of children through advertising, fashion brands and media: legal and ethical regulation in Spain, Prisma social, Special Nº 1, 156–189. ISSN 1989–3469.
