"Influencers" are facing a pushback - BBC

'Maybe you'll realise what you have is good enough': Why influencers are facing a pushback

Rejecting the "haul" culture of excessive shopping and promoting conscious consuming, the de-influencer movement is going mainstream – here's why.

Yes, this.

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250107-why-the-pushback-against-influencers-is-growing

I find the idea of Influencers rather ridiculous.  I don't pay any attention to them.

I didn't read the article.

Do you have some you follow?

Isn't Paul an influencer? Now I'm wondering if I'm using that word wrong.

The Devil is in the details … we are all influencers.

Agreed John.

Perhaps the context here are people who derive their (sometimes considerable) income mostly from making YouTube and TikTok videos.

Just a thought,

Eric

Hi Eric,

Yes, that is where I would draw my line.

My understanding of the word was similar to what Christopher mentions.
I didn't realize how it was used in this instance...sounds like propaganda?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influencer

  social media influencer[6][7][8] (also known as an influencer[9][10][11] or online influencer[12][13][14]) is an individual who builds a grassroots online presence through engaging content like photos, videos, and updates, using direct audience interaction to establish authenticity, expertise, and appeal, and standing apart from traditional celebrities by growing their platform through social media rather than pre-existing fame.[15][16] The modern referent of the term is commonly a paid role in which a business entity pays for the social media influence-for-hire activity to promote its products and services, known as influencer marketing.[17] Types of influencers include fashion influencer, travel influencer and virtual influencer, and involve content creators[18][19][20] and streamers.[21][22][23]  

and has been used to great effect in politics

I think folks are very often looking for leaders, and rules for living (micro and macro rules). If the "leaders" and "rules" on social media right now seem to be ringing hollow to more and more people, I really hope that that shows a cultural shift in hopes and goals compared to the last couple of decades. Like a lot of things, it is likely generational, and I'd love to be able to see a rosy future for the ones coming after me!

I, too, consider Paul Wheaton an "influencer," since he is a key figure in Permaculture media and social media. The shift away from status based on consumeristic ideals will likely increase his influence factors, and I sincerely hope so!

There is a huge difference between

influencer as job -making their primary income from brand deals, affiliate links, and influencing other people to buy stuff.

And

Influencer - person with a following on social media.

The article isn't as clear as it could be.  I suspect that some people wouldn't be sad if we got the two blended together.

...

I noticed an increase in Haul videos lately, and it just makes me annoyed. Reviews are only helpful when one has used the product for a while.  Not unpacking it and playing with the new toy once.

I would like to see "I used it up" videos replace Haul ones.  But it's unlikely because when so much stuff, like art or crafting supplies, are coming in, one doesn't get a chance to use them up.  That's a big influence for me to start my no-buy and start sharing mini reviews of things I use up.  https://permies.com/t/268492/Hobby-crafting-art-buy-perennial

People keep calling me an influencer or saying they did or bought a thing because of something I said online.  That kind of worries me.  So I take it and use it to create the kind of thing I want to see more of on the internet.

Ah! I see we've had a misunderstanding. I had assumed that "influencer" was commonly understood these days to mean online marketing influencers (i.e., essentially paid corporate shills and hucksters, hawking fast fashion and consumerist crapola that nobody actually needs). It's a marketing industry estimated to be worth $21 billion. Pushback is good.

The linked article is very much in synch with the conversations we have on this forum.

r ranson wrote:
So I take it and use it to create the kind of thing I want to see more of on the internet.

If I did something/made something cool (which doesn't happen often, definitely no influencer here), I'd rather post it on permies than on my blog;  I only have a tiny following on my blog but there are potentially millions of people here.  Not to brag--mostly--but to be the change I want to see.

Hi Douglas,

I suspect it was not so much a misunderstanding as an exploration of possible operational definitions of the term.

Daaang, the things that I learn on this site.  I did not know what an "influencer" was.  I now know, I also do not understand nor do I know why I should care, as I live under a metaphorical "rock", I guess I miss out on a number of things.  I do watch some You Tube, mostly of critters, the rest I really do not notice.

Maybe in this new year I should try to get out more often, naaah, I like it here under this "rock"!!!

Peace

r ranson wrote:
People keep calling me an influencer or saying they did or bought a thing because of something I said online.  That kind of worries me.  So I take it and use it to create the kind of thing I want to see more of on the internet.

You are succeeding at that goal. Every time I clean something with vinegar and water I think, "I'm sure glad I read 'Cleaning with Cleaners you can Eat.'" Whether I remove rust from a tool or mold from the upholstery of a car, I am glad I can use the same two simple ingredients.

I regret that my post has caused such a ruckus -- clearly I have struck a raw nerve. That is unfortunate, and unintentional. I still remain completely baffled as to how this could be considered an attack on Paul -- on his own site no less. Though perhaps semantics plays in -- I think of Paul as an advocate for positive change, and therefore more credible than fly by night I-types.

I will stand down a while and consider what is appropriate to post. Cheers.

Douglas, I'm so sorry that you are catching any flak over such a simple little post.  I really don't understand what could be causing a "ruckus".  I thought you were posting about an BBC article with a link to the article.  Duh???

OK, enuff said on that, I'm going back under my "rock"!!!


Peace

This has been interesting to me as I had not understood the more modern use of the word 'influencer'.

I'm not sure I had ever heard it used as a label.

And it seems it can be a good thing in the right circumstances?

Kind of like the word 'liberal' that mutated into an insult but I still consider myself one🤔

I also was not aware of 'haul' videos.

Douglas, I won't be able to watch your video until I'm at the library so I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

My personal take, of course Paul W is an influencer and unless there is a special meaning to the world that exclusively denotes the scamming type, low life influencers, of which there are many, anyone with a functioning brain knows Paul W ain't of that variety. One could look thru every post ever made on this website and see that Paul's intentions are noble, decent, humane, just, fair, fill in the blank with any other POSITIVES you can think of.

If he makes a good living or if he makes a ton of money makes no difference, the world needs more HIMs.

{Paul, message me for the address you can send the money to!}

Judith Browning wrote:T

Kind of like the word 'liberal' that mutated into an insult but I still consider myself one🤔

Judith, on that, see

https://www.azquotes.com/author/10083-John_Stuart_Mill

Perhaps people need to realise that 'influencers' are simply mercenaries who will peddle anything for money, creating an 'idea' that they personally believe
in the benefit of that product or service, whether they believe its good or not'
The problem I see with them, is that whereas advertisers are also peddling wares, but they do not pretend they believe in them.

Ugh. Semantics. In my head, an "influencer" is exactly what they talk about in the article. Someone who influences people for a living, where the influencing itself (or the money they receive for it) is the goal, rather than trying to change things for the better. Someone who wants to change things for the better, I'd call... I don't know, an idealist, perhaps?

All semantics aside, I thought the article was interesting. Thank you for posting it!