The Influencer Dilemma

With Gen Z increasingly considering careers as content creators, is influencing the gold mine it’s made out to be?

With the dawn of the 21st Century, Internet users were introduced to a new form of

media that encapsulates art, entertainment, social interaction and commerce all at once. 

Social media changed the game, allowing people to instantly connect and interact with others anywhere on earth. As these technologies gained prevalence, the amount of free time spent on social media apps also increased, especially among younger users. 

A study by the New York Times found that over 60% of Gen Z adults (18-27) use social media for at least 5 hours a day. As a result, Gen Z has been inundated with media produced by content creators and influencers, who use these apps to share their content. Gone are the days in which radio, television and film dominated public discourse and popular culture. 

In the same vein, the desires of the youth have also changed over time. While previous generations idolized athletes, actors and artists, Gen Z has found their heroes on the Internet. Accordingly, an exciting new profession has emerged for Gen Z looking to emulate  their idols—the influencer. 

Unlike traditional media, the barrier to entry into the realm of social media is comparatively low. Much of the content that exists on social media can be created with nothing more than a smartphone and the variety of apps and features available to its user. Now, virtually anyone with an idea, who is willing to put themselves out there, has the capability to become a household name. 

“Everyone sees influencers. [They’re] always on our feed,” said 19-year-old influencer Aman Yadhav who runs the Instagram fashion page @blessedbyaman. “This guy’s making money off of eating food—I can do that too,” he adds, illustrating how simple it can be to get your start as an influencer.

Youth today are growing up seeing people (oftentimes even younger than them) make large sums of money by posting content on social media, with many content creators being among the highest earning entertainers today. CNBC reported that an influencer with around 250,000 followers could make upwards of $3,500 USD for a single sponsored post—with payouts only rising based on one's follower count. 

Money is flowing out of traditional media venues and into online spaces. According to Vox News, advertisers now spend more on influencers and less on traditional media annually. 

Influencers can also receive donations from ‘fans’ and followers who want to show their support. Streamers on apps such as Twitch, Youtube and Tiktok, make large portions of their incomes from donations from live viewers. Other venues such as Patreon allow subscribers, known as ‘patrons,’ to pay monthly fees for content hidden behind a paywall. 

This is all before considering the vast array of external money-making ventures that can emerge from social media fame. Logan Paul, one of the most famous social media personalities in the world, had his net worth listed at $150 million by Sports Illustrated. Paul was able to parlay his early social media success on the now defunct app, Vine, into numerous new revenue streams from sporting events to children’s snacks. Although, he has attracted controversy for being linked with crypto and NFT scams.

With the future of the world economy seeming bleak to many, especially young adults—who have yet to reach their earning potential, the amount of money flowing through social media apps has created a sort of modern-day gold rush, with many youth eager to get in on the action. 

Young people are seeing the social media success stories of their peers and long for the same success. CNBC found that 54% of a sample of 13-38 year olds would become social media influencers if given the opportunity. 

Yadhav cites freedom of expression as a reason why influencing has become so popular with Gen Z. "Your job is to be yourself,” he states. “People pay you to be you. [The idea of] being paid to be yourself is very appealing.” With pockets popping up online for seemingly every niche interest out there, monetizing your individuality is easier than ever. 

However as the popularity of social media grows and its largest influencers continue to profit, many Gen Z users have brought attention to the problematic trends that have grown alongside it. Users have become dubious of the negative effects social media has on their lives. Social media usage has been linked to body image issues, sleep deprivation and eating disorders, as well as the promotion of over-consumption, consumerism, and unrealistic lifestyle expectations. 60% of users 18-27 surveyed by the New York Times believe that social media has negatively impacted them, as a result of these factors, with these numbers being even higher among female and LGBTQ respondents. 

With these concerning side effects, counter-movements have risen in an attempt to de-emphasize some of the unattainable standards and practices perpetuated by social media and influencers. 

‘De-influencing’ is a counter-attack against rampant, social media-fueled overconsumption, in which social media personalities discourage users from buying products based on fads and paid advertisements. The hashtag has also been used to counter other toxic trends perpetuated online, by promoting body positivity and normalizing imperfections that often social media quite literally blurs out. “[De-influencers] want to try to debunk stereotypes and create safer space in an online world that can also be quite dangerous,” says influencer, Iris De With, who runs the account @growingjourney_. 

The negative implications of social media on the mental and physical health of its users, as well as the planet itself, necessitates the de-influencing movement as a means to mitigate the harmful narratives perpetuated by social media influencers. However, is social media really the best medium for an anti-social media campaign? By utilizing social media to dissuade users from falling victim to influencer trends, engagement on these apps is unintentionally driven.

Apart from ethical concerns, influencers have noted the job insecurity inherent to a career in social media. The ever-changing cycle of online trends and ever-evolving algorithms on these platforms means content that performs well one day can flop the next. Influencers must tirelessly adapt their content to stay relevant and keep informed on best practices to infiltrate the algorithm. 

With the growing number of influencers, oversaturation of content means it’s more difficult to hack the algorithm and capture the attention of users. For some creators this is seen as more of a motivator than a deterrent. “I personally view [competition] as a positive thing. The space is saturated for sure, but at the same time there’s room for everyone to carve out the lane you own,” said Jonathan Uhunmwagho, who runs the Instagram account @J0n.exe. However, the pressure to meet demands is not lost on creators like Uhunmwagho. “The pressure to constantly stand out and stay relevant is exhausting for sure, especially with trends moving fast and the algorithm favoring certain content over others,” he notes.  

Threats to the very existence of platforms themselves, in the form of bans, censorship, and government oversight, have also presented uncertainty for those pursuing careers in social media. The recent TikTok ban in the United States was a major scare to many content creators whose livelihoods rely on their followings on the platform. 

While the app was eventually reinstated, this proved that content creation jobscan disappear overnight. With many governments looking to pursue legal action and regulation of social media companies, the TikTok ban in the U.S. is just the beginning. In addition to government bans, users can have their individual accounts banned for violating community guidelines, resulting in creators losing years worth of followers and content.

Gen Z is a generation caught in the midst of a media revolution. Popular culture was once

cultivated by an exclusive class of artists, creatives and socialites who utilized traditional methods of media to broadcast themselves to the masses. Now, the key to becoming a truly impactful culture-mover exists in the pocket of nearly every human being on planet earth. 

Young people have chosen social media platforms as the canvas most desirable to bring their art, personalities and entertainment to the masses. But with fierce competition, movements of people sick and tired of having products and unrealistic standards shoved down their throats, and the very future of these platforms at stake, is influencing really the golden goose Gen Z believes it to be? 

The jury is still out on whether or not Gen Z will provide us with enough doctors, lawyers, and politicians to keep society running. The Internet gold rush may become so prominent that there will be more people running to record an accident than first responders on the scene. In any case, it is clear that the gilded path of the influencer is a popular one that isn’t going away anytime soon. While social media can be a powerful tool to incite social change, cultivate community and bring people together, users must always be aware of the ethical dilemma these platforms present to society. Whether or not social media is used to hurt or help, lies in the hands of its most prolific users, Gen Z.

Graphics: Dean Panellas