Influencer ethics on Instagram 2

[MadameGrizzly]

It appears we haven't quite finished workshopping the ethical issues of 'influencing' on Instagram: disclose of advertising, the exploitation of minors and the similarities to MLM schemes.

Bullnoway

I'm positive the early influencers didn't realise the phenomenal amounts of money that would one day be thrown their way. I think the blogs and IG accounts were started to find 'their people', create a community, and yes, for attention.

The new kids on the block are all about the money.

Which brings me to Mothers Meetings on Instagram. All the big influencers seem to be on that particular gravy train, presenting workshops to women who want a slice on the Instagram pie, in an over saturated market that has quite probably already peaked. Many of the attendees won't be starting from the requisite position of privilege, either.

There's something very unethical about that, but I suppose it's hard cold cash that pays the mortgage for the big influencers, not a #gifted Jo Malone candle.

Mod also seems to be letting everyone believe kim k blocked her...I think that's highly unlikely surely? Why would kim k take the time and effort to bother to block her?!

Whilst I am at it...

All of these "be kind or shut up" sentiments smack against everything that pro feminism is about.

YOUR interpretation of kind is different to everyone else's. A comment of disagreement and a comparison of why you disagree may be a negative form of feedback due to the content, but it's valid. If the words used are factual and don't contain emojis, kisses or hashtags, doesn't mean that it isn't kind.

"You're opinions are shit, everything you say is crap and you have no idea what you are going on about. Stop talking and shut up"
That's unkind. It's personal, it's derogatory.

"I think your opinion is hypocritical because you've done x,y and z, and just because you have a lesser audience and the product is different, doesn't mean the sentiment isn't the same"
Is factual, and to the point.

Strong messages aren't always kind. We have to point out hypocrisy, prejudice, racism and these subjects cannot always be done in a "kind" way.

And if you don't agree, to then appeal to a large audience and to publicly out people to create a mob mentality? That screams bully.

The messages are wrong.
We shouldn't put up or shut up.
We shouldn't ever be promoting a mob mentality.

Maybe MOD should give NB her Instagram login?

Natasha, of course, can spot a bullying comment from a thousand paces and she is quick on the delete button (especially if piles are mentioned).

I wish CB would elaborate on what she means in her stories. I really like her and her message but it seems that she has had a personality transplant of late. She is watching this thread, so please Candice come and talk to us!

Of course KK didn’t personally block MOD! KK will have an army of PR staff looking after her social media channels 24\7 - there will be people employed who’s job it is to filter out the “bad” comments and to block any negative accounts. If MOD has been blocked she will have been one in thousands of accounts that have been blocked, KK won’t have known anything about it. if MOD thinks otherwise then I think she is seriously flattering herself and over estimating her “fame”

It’s all a bit cringe isn’t it....?!

She's happy for people to assume KK blocked her (highly unlikely I agree) because it deflects from the real situation which is that she blocked Laura and not the other way round.

I hate the ‘My Mother taught me if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all’ sentiment, it is shaming and outdated and used to shut down conversation.

It also makes the followers think she’s important

KK’s team would do it, perhaps automated

'Women building women up instead of tearing them down' makes my eyes bleed.

What's so wrong with "women being honest with other women"

KK would never have blocked anyone who simply tagged her in their own post. She must get a million notifications a day and wouldn't waste her time (or paying someone to) sifting out the negative ones.

Stop, that is an interesting read...

Random, this is apparently the exchange between Laura and mod

Just to warn you that in the previous thread, mod claimed to have had thread 4 (?) removed because her professional ethics were defamed. I'd hate for this thread to be deleted.

I think mod saying KK blocked her was a joke. She was evading the question of whether she blocked Laura.

I haven’t finished reading this thread and I apologise if the conversation has moved on and if someone has already mentioned this...

I had a look at the potty picture that has been referred to and one of the hilarious hashtags at the bottom is literally #noprivacy I’m sorry but I find that absolutely shocking and abhorrent. I’m not totally innocent when it comes to sharing images of my children on SM, I do it but my FB & IG are as secure as they can be and I only have friends and family on there. I wouldn’t dream of sharing an image like that with hundreds of thousands of people and then flaunting my ignorance by adding a hashtag basically taking the piss out of my children. Good lord!

I'm bored of talking about MOD all the time. This is becoming a witch hunt. I'm out.

Yes and all the fans thought she was serious and of course mod didn't bother to clarify

@jamoncrumpets - what would you prefer to talk about? This thread certainly hasn't been about MOD the whole time, nor had the one before.
Why not steer into a new direction rather than flouncing?

That's a shame Jam. We've talked about CB and SMS in equal measure I thought. The recent 'controversial' posts will attract the most conversation won't they?

I don't think calling out crappy behaviour is a witch hunt.

I tried to steer the conversation to Mother Meetings because there's something very MLM about them.

They have just unveiled a talent agency, too. Just what the world needs: more influencers hawking off brand products.

First time poster here ☺️
I was brought over to mumsnet after the whole #dearmumsnet brouhaha and I honestly wanted to see what this cesspit of disgusting comments was all about. I have been very pleasantly surprised. You all seem like a crazily intelligent bunch of people who are trying to have, at times, a difficult and complex discussion about how society and social media fit in together. In all honesty it's made me completely change the way I've looked at Instagram and these influencers. I still enjoy looking but it's opened my eyes to a lot of things/issues associated with them.

I think the big problem is that we never before had access to so many people's different opinions and as a society we genuinely don't know how to handle it. Before if you didn't like how someone thought or behaved you wouldn't be friends with or socialise with them but now with social media we are exposed all the time to people who we wouldn't normally engage or agree with and that creates differences of opinions and conflict. We just aren't used to having to justify ourselves for our actions all the time and so people through the bullying word about in an attempt to silence all dissenting voices. I understand it to a certain extent but don't agree with it.

Sms, cb and mod, oh and nb, are all completely arrogant in trying to silence any criticism of their insta businesses. They're making money out of their followers therefore their followers should be able to vocalise anything they don't like. It's absolutely mad, let's ban all negative reviews on trip advisor ey? Ban film critics? Food critics?

ELemon I think a lot of people agree and found the potty pic a step too far, including his wife. I noticed the #noprivacy. I can just imagine a lawyer one day celebrating the fact they've struck gold when it's presented to them. Because it exists there in metadata forever, whatever he does with it now.

The MLM comparisons are really interesting. What is it about Instagram that lends itself to that arrangement so well? It's easy to copy/emulate other, more successful posters in a small square photo I suppose - than, say, on YT where you need to film with the right backdrop, edit, etc.