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.

@EatMyShoes haha, it's been a while coming! Been following all these insta threads and whilst of course disagree with the minority of comments that went too far, have just been relieved to see a space for critical thinking and discussion around this. And then baffled/kind of disgusted by influencers alternating engagement/defensiveness and their creepy OTT followers. To say others should be embarrassed for asking questions when you court those kind of followers is embarrassing in itself. Also echo what someone said previously about turning up in a professional capacity after all these very public and accessible insta shenanigans. As a client/service user I wouldn't be able to trust that person and would wonder what might be being said behind my back. Now that is embarrassing and IMO calls for a lot of self-reflection. #notbullying

The instamum thing has just massively snowballed. I'm not surprised that people have come un-stuck and aren't sure how to handle things like their followers getting out of order on comments etc. Particularly as they might not have originally come from a journo/pr back ground (as a lot of them have).

At first we followed because we related, enjoyed looking, then the brands came knocking and the freebies/holidays started, then the questioning began, then the hate-following (just so you can get riled up), and now the comments things has just spiralled out of control.

I feel grubby myself now for following the threads that heavily feature their kids.

She has called out MN for allowing bullying while not confronting it on her own page.

Such a cheap shot this one. Like the popular pretty girl at school who bursts into tears every time something doesn't go their way/doesn't win etc. Most women grow out of it...

@fleariddenscruffbag I just went back to look (and isn't it weird how Instagram promotes comments now as well?!) she posted this yesterday. Which seems to be a 'not my problem' response. From following her account, Friday is the day she has the twins (if not in Spain/st Lucia/Instagram event-although last night was FOD's book launch meal so maybe it's a swanky hotel) I wouldn't worry too much just yet.
Right and now I'm blocking to stop myself dipping in to the misery again.

Sorry here

It's funny how i bet they would all LOVE to be seen as the face of instagram (but not if there's any negativity involved).

@Confusssed your last couple of lines - exactly, and that's totally fine but maybe all this talk of 'stay in your lane' might apply to the topics influencers try and take on and how. I think there's a weird middle ground some are trying to occupy which take on fashion/interiors/motherhood/repro health/'charity'/feminism/diversity/books and includes topics/asks questions of followers which need time/depth/engagement/sensitivity/awareness/reflexivity/experience and often expertise in order to deal with in a respectful, kind, useful way, which many insta ppl can't provide and so therefore these efforts all come across as fairly superficial and ripe for critique/questioning of motives.

I don’t feel particularly sorry for MOD because very similar things have happened before and she doesn’t seem to have sought help from a strategist or to have rethought her own approach. I don’t think at this point that she can’t cope with the situation - I think she has chosen not to because she genuinely thinks she is not in the wrong.

I check in an American IGer who gets lots of critical DMs (and I suspect moderates comments significantly) and for all her possible faults she deals well with criticism and is hugely professional - she will reiterate that she has researched topic X and made a decision for her family or that photo Y doesn’t reflect everything that goes on. You can sense frustration (and I’m sure she Lao thinks a lot of her followers or questioners are unreasonable in their criticism) but she is polite and professional, presumably because she is aware that this is her job (if you’re being paid for it, it’s a job). I cannot understand why the instamums can’t at some point step back, realise they have become brand rather than private individual (a choice they usually made for financial gain - nothing wrong with this per se but it was a choice which they made for benefits) and rethink how they respond to people. I was especially made to think of this today by a response in stories from one of the people mentioned on this thread (not MOD) for some criticism she’d received in a decorating decision.

I’m criticised day in and day out by some really harsh judges (aged 11-18) and it doesn’t take you long to learn to have a bit of a persona and not take it too personally because otherwise you’d not be able to carry on. Some of this criticism is on the internet thanks to sites allowing pupils to comment on teachers. I try not to look at it and I, like most of my colleagues, ignore the bad there even though I am sure we could all feel bullied or claim it is libel. I suppose the difference is it is clearly part of my job, but for the influencers who are being paid I think it is part of theirs too now.

Everything @allusedup said is what I feel.
So eloquently put. Thank you.

I don't want to block and unfollow. That's like asking me to walk past someone stealing a granny's handbag because she's not my granny.
Like asking me to ignore behaviour in my sons school ground, just because it's not my son.

Such a cheap shot this one. Like the popular pretty girl at school who bursts into tears every time something doesn't go their way/doesn't win etc. Most women grow out of it...

Exactly this.

And who would have thought things could've gone so tits up on a post criticising KK, because everyone hates her right? KK is obviously the wrong sort of mama and sister.

@sparklefluff agree, good analogies.
@PavlovaPrincess yup, and that's probably who they were at school, and is precisely why they've ended up being courted by brands etc.

What about mrs meldrum?

I used to really enjoy watching her but since her husband left his job I find it unwatchable. He is so smug and I can no longer relate to the life style....I am now wondering if this coincided with and increase in advertisement and monetization.
maybe I'm jealous...

Also meant to say I completely agree with the initial post of allusedup. It sums up so much of what has been discussed here which is interesting, important and not bullying, for the most part.

I actually don’t think I follow anyone who doesn’t have a job or a venture (e.g. volunteering, craft business) outside of SM, stilldazed, let alone when their husband is also not working. It doesn’t feel relatable and it also doesn’t seem interesting to me - work is so much more than a living in terms of different interaction. I don’t like the accounts which are primarily ‘being’ (or buying!) rather than doing - I don’t mind instamums when they are focused on meals they made or something but I don’t like just ‘look at us being lovely’ or ‘look at us with our new things’.

I never followed Mrs M as she’s not my cup of tea taste-wise (Primark hauls etc.). But I’ve looked at her since she was mentioned on MN. She’s pretty inconsistent with her disclosures I think.

Allusedup 👏🏻. Thanks for that excellent summary.

That was quite a catch up after doing my thing in order to pay my bills!

Cady. For the record, I absolutely agree that nasty DMs are disgusting. I was concerned that CB was in quite a state to be shouting into a phone with her baby in her arms, and should step away and get her head together.

Thank you ScipioAfricanus you just summed up perfectly why I find Mrs M so difficult to watch.

Seems CB has clarified in her post that's she's talking about one DM. If that's the case she needs to get a grip and stop screaming down a phone in front of her baby.

Sorry crossed posts with you Flyingbird.

SV is gunna cut anyone who messes with CB

Eeby yeah saw that.