Influencer ethics on Instagram

[MadameGrizzly]

Continuing the discussion on whether influencing on Instagram is an ethical business model, particularly around the disclosure of advertising and the over exposure of children.

AIBU to think it isn't a sustainable career unless the influencer is scrupulously ethical?

I think some posters are being unnecessarily snooty about the batch cooking thing (even if it was a very minor part of the day) - there are enough threads on MN asking practical advice about returning to work either before or after they have returned and batch cooking always comes up as a suggestion there.

As you say, there are free resources online re: batch cooking. If people are paying to attend and time is pressing, the focus needs to be on discussing the big substantive issues and getting targetted advice you can't access online or that needs to be put in context so free online advice is too generic.

I get that it’s easy and cheap to spread the word on IG but don’t get what an instamum would say about flexible working other than takes loads of pics of your kids and flog stuff that way

The other stuff - the legal info sounds helpful at least

Also I want to keep threads on here free from selling as much as possible - unless in the right place. So it’s good to get someone’s take on it I still don’t want that mixed crossover where we become sold to by IG

It’s certainly not a perfect set-up but since launch in Jan 2016 we have had 234 companies sign the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Working Forward pledge

Just want to be very clear on this: who does the "we" refer to? Flex Appeal?

I went because a lot of my friends are going freelance or going back after maternity or looking to change roles.
I've been back at work almost a year, won't be taking any more maternity leave so for me, it was more a chance to catch up with friends rather than anything professionally minded.
I therefore went with zero expectation and wasn't expecting to actually get anything from it other than a brew and a biscuit but I was pleasantly surprised.
Things like the dressing seminar were silly. There are too many variables. Likewise how to influence people online just depressed me about the future of society. I mean, that can't be what people were looking for. A lot of people seemed to walk out that one though!
The best seminars were about confidence, getting the balance right and on negotiating in the workplace. Friends (there were about 6 of us) all seemed to have similar views. They did the one to ones and I know have been working on their plans today. As I say, a lot of people left really fired up which can only be a good thing.

@Gobbo, ‘we’ is myself and husband, Matt Farquharson. With support from the EHRC and Timewise.

So you (i.e. Flex) are the principal driver in getting the companies to sign up at a rate of over 2 a week? With the ECHR etc in a supporting role?

WorkingForward is a big campaign by the looks of it, with case studies, follow ups, relationship managers and a twitter feed which limits to that hashtag pretty much. So if call up from a business I’ll get relationship manager who works at EHRC. But if I don’t flexappeal will call / visit me to convince me to join (me being the relevant person at Royal Mail for eg)? And not the relationship manager who works there

And if I fill in the online details it goes to..?

I scanned quickly but I’m interested now in how it works

@Gobbo no, we, my husband and I are not the principle drivers. We are using our (perhaps questionable) influence to educate businesses on the pledge and support employees in making a flexible working request through the Work It Out forum (funded by us and PTS) and the free Soft Play, Hard Talk events. Perhaps it’s disingenuous to state that the conversion is solely down to us. The pledge is definitely from the EHRC (hope that was clear) and they - along with Timewise - use us wherever they can to amplify their message and research, while supporting us ahead of meetings with Whitehall - the next being 15 May. My background is in journalism (Horticulture Week is where I began, so not even the hard-nosed rags) and I’m working everything else out along the way; we know there are holes in what we do but we are always open to input. At present it is self-funded but once it becomes a CIC, the objectives will hopefully be clearer, the mechanic more transparent and more of your questions will be answered. We are working on it at present and I’m interviewing for jobs so I have an income outside of ‘influencing’. Happy to answer any other questions but it will be later today.

Ok looking at the forum you mention and IG that makes more sense

EHRc, I mean. Not to muddle my question further.

Good points Marsha - I'm also interested in exactly how this works and who does what (and can claim the kudos). Obviously, the role of the EHRC is quite clear so no ethical issues there but I'm interested in the roles of the individuals involved and the facts behind the claims.

I did have a look at the MotherPukka website and I saw an article by Matt. It was drafted in a Q&A style. One of the questions touched on the Instagram/influencer point and the first part of the response stated that the "things are descending". That's a legitimate question for companies and individuals to ask. I know most of my clients would be very careful to assess who was involved in a campaign and what their motivations are to ensure no conflict of interest and to be clear on their motivations; particularly if they have sales role alongside (which being an influencer is). The EHRC very much lends legitimacy to this and it is their pledge in the first place that employers are signing. So I am therefore somewhat surprised (but open minded) to understand the statement that MP and her husband were the we behind getting such a huge number of employers to sign up and the EHRC were actually just in a supporting role.

Thanks for clarifying MP. We cross posted - I'm not trying to ask the same question again.

But my point does stand that I think many companies would be somewhat astonished to be accused (basically) of lowering the tone by trying to understand the background and motivations behind all the participants in a campaign.

It was well spotted Gobbolino

I think it can be easy to overstate things and muddy the waters - although sounds like a rushed response that sounded like Flex was leading it. As useful as it is to promote something the hard yards of getting eg HR Director at Royal Mail to join will be hard yards indeed. Which will be supported by the big WorkingForward campaign which was probably devised by a London agency and cost a fair bit.

So yes kudos to the people getting the companies to sign, and also good to have the help from others making extra noise.

Ok well I guess I didn't look at your campaign closely enough, because that was not clear at all to me before this conversation - thank you Marsha and Gobbo.

Motherpukka and your husband are paid to drum up support for flexible working by the EHRC. They control the agenda/meetings etc. They do not 'support' you, they steer you to convey their message? Is that a fair assessment?

@gobbo fair point, I’ll take a look tomorrow am and adjust any isolating wording.

Thank you MP - I am sure I am coming across as a pedantic nit picker but I do know that clients will often ask professional advisors for their views on a campaign etc before signing up and I can imagine professional colleagues wondering the same thing. I genuinely am trying to be constructive because I think the facetime you have with these companies is important and I wouldn't want it to be derailed by all of these questions having to be asked and answered there because the position on the website was unclear or unintentionally misleading or appeared defensive.

I actually have found you questions interesting Gobbo, and I appreciate MP’s response. It’s interesting to find out more about the campaign other than just recognising the hashtag.

Is Farquharson pronounced phonetically or is it a Magdalen/Maudlin name?

@Gobbo, not at all, it’s good having some input and I don’t feel nits were picked.

@mastershelp I believed initially it was Farquhar-son (Similar to Lord Farquhar of Shrek acclaim). It’s Scottish and pronounced ‘Fark’harsen’.

me too FlyingBird. Thanks for that MP, there was a thread recently about names that are pronounced completely differently so after that thought maybe it was Fenchurch or something!