Back in December, YouTuber and business woman Grace Beverley, otherwise known as Grace Fit UK gathered together five other influencers to create a video entitled ‘So, how much do influencers really make?’ with the desire to open a discussion around the industry. Being an avid YouTube viewer myself, and (like pretty much everyone) having accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, I found it an intriguing watch. Why hadn’t I pondered these questions myself when scrolling through my insta feed, or watching a sponsored video? Since then, other YouTubers have followed suit, making their own Q&A videos based on what their audience want to know.
Social media is a huge part of our lives, with 3 billion of us spending an average of 2-hours per day on this user-generated content. Yet, little is known about what goes on behind the screen. Such a lack of transparency between users, or ‘influencers’ can have damaging effects, as demonstrated by the BBC Future series #LikeMinded. One study showed that depressive symptoms were linked to the quality of online interactions, which can involve having a distorted view of other people’s lives.
However, despite such concerns it cannot be denied that social media is stronger than ever, and is likely to keep growing. Joe Sugg, this year’s runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing was the first “Social Media Star” to appear on the show. This type of eminence and success which can arise from being an influencer is still one we are trying to understand.
The novelty the industry holds means we do not yet know what the long-term effects will be, not just on individuals but on society. And so all the more reason for us to be striving towards transparency. Let us go into a future where social media is an uplifting place of inspiring stories, growing businesses and a place to make worldwide connections, without distortion.
Link to Grace’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ1PLPfJKNM
Brianna Croughan
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