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Are social media influencers modern day prostitutes?

62 replies

bluecheese2412 · 08/09/2020 08:17

I know a girl from school younger than me and we lived in a small village so everyone knows everyone. This particular girl had hardly achieved anything such as a education, while most of my peers including myself went off to university she stayed in the same village and got a job at the local pub. Fast forward 5 years. She is travelling the world, staying in expensive hotels, wearing really expensive handbags (4-5k) and posing in lingerie. She has had a lot of cosmetic surgery and looks very common just like the kardashians (butt implants, nose job, boob job, lip fillers and the whole lot). All her photos are basically in really expensive hotels around the world and in expensive restaurants and bars where someone who has had a low paid job could never afford it. She doesn't model anything in particular such as fashion or accessories as most of her posts are just in lingerie, bedsheet, towel covering her private's or in a skimpy dress with an expensive hand bag in a sky bar and yacht. She has thousands of followers, no bf (mum is friends with her mum) and particularly travels to countries such as Dubai, Bali and Spain- Marbella and Ibiza quite often. Am I wrong to think she is prostituting herself to have this lifestyle? It's of course none of my business but reading recent articles about how Instagram models are approached on social media and a business deal is made to basically prostitute herself to wealthy men particularly from the Middle East it has flagged up and captured my attention as I have been wondering how it's possible to achieve such a lifestyle. She's either doing that or basically transporting white goods I don't know. What do you think? Just wanted to chat.

OP posts:
bluecheese2412 · 08/09/2020 08:56

@Laaalaaaa

Yes, she most probably is. There are girls local to me who once they started posting pictures of their ‘party lifestyle’ in Dubai they were dripping in designer gear. No amount of swipe ups for £10 bikinis etc is going to pay for that lifestyle.
Yes this is what I mean
OP posts:
DillonPanthersTexas · 08/09/2020 09:04

It's not prostitution, maybe 'soft glamour' work but that's a far cry from selling sex. Anyway, presumably she has agency over her own body and how she wants to create a USP for herself. Not your cup of tea it would seem but it does appear that you resent her for all the freebies and travel she is getting. Personally I find parents who monetise their children on Instagram more repugnant.

CormoranStrike · 08/09/2020 09:05

That Cosmopolitan article is eye opening.

faithfulbird · 08/09/2020 09:06

In a way...yes

Derekhello · 08/09/2020 09:34

@Puppylucky

Transporting white goods? Who knew there was so much money in fridge freezers?!
🤣🤣
EstherLittle · 08/09/2020 10:03

Whatever happened to Be Kind?

You sound like you are both jealous and a snob OP.

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo · 08/09/2020 10:06

Sounds like she's considerably richer and a lot more charismatic than you.

And you're jealous as hell 😶

bluecheese2412 · 08/09/2020 10:30

Omg @WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo and @EstherLittle I'm not jealous. This thread isn't about a witch hunt or "omg she's killed someone" it's about knowing someone personally and their background and the lifestyle they are choosing to live without a normal way of earning it as we are used to. You don't know me, what I look like, where I live and my circumstances to say that I'm jealous of the lifestyle. Just bugger off. This thread isn't shaming her or calling her names, in fact if I had a daughter I would be VERY concerned but she's a grown adult and makes her own choices. We don't know if she is so deep into this and can't get out. We don't know if she's lost, what I'm trying to say is I never knew. I just assumed big brands like 'Chanel' would give her free handbags but then I would wonder why would Chanel or Dior give handbags, they work with red carpet stars in collaboration. I thought she would get paid to post a picture at a restaurant for exposure but reading these articles made me think " could this be true".

OP posts:
Laaalaaaa · 08/09/2020 10:32

look up yacht girls / porta potties in Dubai. I’m pretty sure the poster of this thread is not jealous of somebody possibly being shit on in order to afford designer handbags. It happens - rife in certain ‘influencer/insta model’ circles.

bluecheese2412 · 08/09/2020 10:38

@Laaalaaaa thank you.

Read this to those that have made unfortunate comments of me being jealous:

travellingjezebel.com/dubai-porta-potty/

This is not a lifestyle I would want for myself, my family, future daughters/grandchildren. This isn't something to be admired of or to be jealous.

OP posts:
milveycrohn · 08/09/2020 10:39

I am not a fan of social media influencers. I think it encourages young people they can get rich quick, without having to work hard. I suspect the really successful influencers probably DO work hard. To me the problem is that young people may not realise that the influencer is really advertising, etc
The person you mention has been propositioned on many occassions, but that does not mean she will have accepted any.

TorkTorkBam · 08/09/2020 10:50

It certainly sounds like she has set herself up with a career as a trophy girlfriend at best and prostitute at worst. Instagram is the shop window. She knows what builds her "career" and has done it.

Pretty woman sets herself up as a lifestyle accessory to get men to fund her desired lifestyle, is not exactly modern phenomenon. If anything it is less common now because women have more options. I am a big boobed blonde - in times gone by bagging a rich man using my ahem assets would have been my best option. Modern world being what it is I made my money in science and business myself.

What she is doing is not modern. That you see it despite not being in Dubai yourself, that's new.

CaMePlaitPas · 08/09/2020 10:51

@Puppylucky That made me chortle!

OP, maybe she is a prostitute, maybe she's a benefit fraud or maybe she has a transport company shipping fridge freezers and washing machines across international borders but in any case what she does is none of your business and you sound jealous.

Why don't you reach out to her?

CarlottaValdez · 08/09/2020 10:54

I’m intrigued that people think that fucking or being literally shit on by rich men is something other women are jealous of.

Laaalaaaa · 08/09/2020 10:54

@bluecheese2412 I think there’s a lot of naive people on this thread that really don’t believe it happens. Some of these girls earn £40k for a few days ‘work.’ The more well known they are, the higher the rate they can earn. As I said earlier, the girls I’m aware of are only ‘influencing’ extremely cheap brands that will in no way afford them the lifestyle they currently have. They definitely do not have jobs or come from wealthy families before that excuse is thrown in. If thats how they wish to live their lives, great - I’m sure it’s worth it for the latest Dior bag.

Mayswear · 08/09/2020 11:05

I'm not a fan of this type of "job" either OP and am definitely not jealous. It brings out the ragey feminist in me.
Wasn't there a slogan a few years ago from the police? Too much bling? Give us a ring!

Redraptor · 08/09/2020 11:08

That cosmopolitan article is a good read. Chloe Khan pop up on my instagram explore feed, I remember her on xfactor, the difference to now is crazy, even with the "amazing" jet set life she posts online she doesn't seem truly happy

Ohthatsgreat · 08/09/2020 11:12

[quote Laaalaaaa]@bluecheese2412 I think there’s a lot of naive people on this thread that really don’t believe it happens. Some of these girls earn £40k for a few days ‘work.’ The more well known they are, the higher the rate they can earn. As I said earlier, the girls I’m aware of are only ‘influencing’ extremely cheap brands that will in no way afford them the lifestyle they currently have. They definitely do not have jobs or come from wealthy families before that excuse is thrown in. If thats how they wish to live their lives, great - I’m sure it’s worth it for the latest Dior bag.[/quote]
I agree, people are naive. The same people that think influencers only work with brands they love, or whatever clap trap. No it’s driven by money.

The whole industry is one big marketing platform based on making consumers want things. And now there is a seedy side developing where young woman can earn themselves a decent packet by escorting men. I don’t have an issue with women doing that if they want, the problem comes with the promotion on insta that they have a rich glam lifestyle without those viewing it understanding where that money might have come from. Don’t see why discussing this is so controversial. How many young women are growing up thinking their life is shit compared to these women? Whereas if they knew the truth they might not feel the same way. Same comment re filters and fillers.

Desiringonlychild · 08/09/2020 11:16

This is the first I heard of this.

There are luxury influencers- I follow Chase Amie and Shea Whitney. Both literally have a room filled with designer items, lost count of the number of chanel bags Amie has. They are both married- Shea has 2 sons. They both have careers other than instagram though, Amie has her own business and used to work in marketing. Shea used to work in HR but quit for instagram but her husband still works.

I only really like 'influencers' who have a life and jobs outside instagram

bluecheese2412 · 08/09/2020 11:20

@Laaalaaaa this is the same with this girl with no wealthy background or any connections. No skills or education or a unique business. She was pretty but now more 'typical' looking after the surgeries. Again, she has no job or isn't even a model as a matter of fact. She isn't selling anything or working in collaboration with any brands like the girls you know. She is just posting a lifestyle that could either be funded by a massive euro millions win or this.

@Mayswear I've never seen the slogan but wow it's a very good one! How would 40k go into someone's account regularly or be kept in cash, maybe off-seas accounts who knows 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
eaglejulesk · 08/09/2020 11:27

Your jealousy is showing OP. It's actually none of your business how she is getting her money. You sound very judgemental tbh.

eaglejulesk · 08/09/2020 11:30

Incidentally, I'm not a fan of "influencers" myself, but your original post reads that you feel so superior with your "I went to university" and "she looks very common". Whatever she does, and however she earns her money her worth is no less than yours.

Yoholyolo · 08/09/2020 11:34

There's little modern day about it other than the method of of solicitation and that it's easier to be lured towards it because the whole SM whitewashing of it reaches into young peoples bedrooms and suggests they shouldn't have to work for what they get in life and that selling yourself as a 'buyable' product' one way or another is normal.

70's, 80's, 90's equivalent girls were all over the London hotel scene, as a launching pad into the party social scene. Old rich men and the Sheiks were the big prize of the day. They'd frame themselves as models or similar and often be taken to the hotel shop to be 'treated' as well as cash, and occasionally instead. They had photo portfolio's but not normal modeling contracts, but wore the labels etc required to mingle.
They'd also attend the charity balls and similar where many high end freebies were on offer. On one debauched occasion a bid was put in openly for the girl showing the item being auctioned. She accepted and found it difficult to get back in afterwards.
Knowing how to behave was everything as the concierge's could make or break them. (Un-uniformed women doing legitimate jobs in the same places generally wore clothing and little or no jewelry that signified a different status, but it didn't always stop approaches being made.)
Some girls became 'names' in their own right and made the jump into the bottom end of the socialite circle but remained paid outsiders. Some managed to marry money but it didn't gain them social acceptance. Some of the older ones became fixers for the newer ones, many fell to drugs and self abuse. I'd like to think a few were smart enough to put something away for later.

At the same time in Kings Cross plenty of standard prostitutes only too happy to paid extra for some very dubious practices. One of my bosses was into all that. Seedy, but at least entirely straightforward transactions.
The girls in the 'hotel and party scene' would have seen themselves as very different and entirely unrelated to their King Cross cousins, but the men who worked for their clients and many of the men working in the hotels were often keen to put them right.

VettiyaIruken · 08/09/2020 11:39

Prostitute?
No.
A better comparison would be glamour model perhaps. In this case selling a lifestyle, a look, etc.

Aridane · 08/09/2020 11:50

I’m intrigued that people think that fucking or being literally shit on by rich men is something other women are jealous of.

If I’m honest, I am a bit envious (though not about literal shitting)

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