Ethics regarding Instamums and huns

[BurberryIsSo2000]

Homeisthecalm here, I think it's suitable to start a new ethics thread.

Since clearly, the one from yesterday isn't really about ethics but Clemmie.

Thanks all,

Keep it as nice or as stingy as you like

I'll start off by saying things should be clearly marked 'ad' or 'gifted'

Although the term gifted gives me the rage

meldrums insta vlogs are one long advertisment....heavily using their children..advertising sainsburys baby food whilst on a paid for holiday! i know i'm jelous...shouldn't watch etc..but whilst we're here debating i just wonder how long this can go on unregulated? niether of them has a job in real life this is a career

When you say "neither of them has a job in real life" but then in the next breath say this is a career..... haven't you kind of answered your own question there if that's the case?
That that could be their job? If they're getting money/collaborations through a social media job, so what?

@Today 18:53 CadyHeron

The posters on here who do it will never admit it but imo they only follow certain "instsmuns" so they can monitor them to then post on here about them. It's all a bit pathetic.

Quite, sofia. Going back to privacy and human behaviour and the whole wide interesting discussion! When I mentioned to teen ds the other day that I had a couple of new followers on IG of his classmates (as I mentioned earlier on in the thread) he rolled his eyes and said they sometimes screenshot and do a FB thread if they see something funny I've posted (that'd be a random garden flower or something then grin )it totally reminded me of on here.
So very high school. Exact same scenario, people going to IG, running back over here, screenshotting, laughing, ..... exact same teen mindset.

So pretty much exactly what you're doing here then.
So weird.

boredandtired -yes, on a thread, on MN, discussing ethics and adverts on IG.
Not being blatantly out for the popcorn and waiting for opening night to then come back here. Not quite the same.

The meldrums. I've just had to unfollow. In their favour, they are just what they appear to be. They are influencers who clearly admit to it being so profitable that he's given up his job. I find their trips for coffee and primark (together-just my idea of hell) completely unrelatable. Their use of their kids, over exposing. They seem really nice and really happy and confident in what they do, which is what is lacking in many other accounts.

@cadyheron which is what 1 user said. But you are doing exactly the same on this thread. And the previous. It's all very high school but you don't seem to realise that includes yourself and your comments and what and how you are picking up on things. Waiting for a certain mention so you can be right in there.

Bored - discussing the wider issue, it always gets dragged back though.
I follow the Meldrums. She does seem to put ad on her posts from what I can see though.
I suppose there's no way of knowing whether the holiday is an ad or not - she does seem to label #ad on posts though so if it was I'd have thought it would have said.

@cadyheron that is because certain accounts Court the drama, on purpose for the followers and the money,like you say, it's a job and there's mortgages to pay. So they will crop up. It's not obsessive. That's what these accounts want.
But your example of screenshotting running back and discussing (and putting down if we are honest) is no different or less high school to you copying and pasting sections of comments and tagging Sofia and slating the entire threads.

I have a different viewpoint. That doesn't constitute slating.

Fivelittle I'm not making a joke. The ODs personify all the points being made- ads, MLM, use of (4) kids, rebranding sharenting feed, bullying, the perils of DMing followers, fan girls/hate followers.

I am intrigued to see what happens next.

In regards to "that's what these accounts want" I agree to a certain extent. Of course they'll want more exposure, more exposure means more traffic, more followers etc.
It's knowing what is and isn't blurring into personal attacking though. There's nothing wrong with discussing the ethics/privacy etc, but you really think because they put themselves out there they should put up with any old shit about their parenting or their looks etc? There's a fine line and I can imagine the latter they won't be so keen on.

I think there's more to the Mr Meldrum giving up his job. He was in a helicopter incident which scared him (understandably). But possibly got some hefty compensation there i'd expect. If not, then you can really see just now lucrative the business is if it's their sole career. They seem to live a fairly affluent lifestyle, live in a nice house (have down loads of improvements to it too), travel very frequently (two foreign holidays in space of month and third this year - although I'm in doubt that these aren't at least partly paid for by Neilson). I don't dislike them, but you're right it is an account very focused on gaining subscribers/making money and I wonder if they are completely transparent about that side of things.

I support regulation in many industries. It definitely is important in my industry (accountancy/tax) and many others. I don't agree that licensing should be financially punitive but it should be in place in some form.

As a tax investigations specialist I see a lot of different people who are under enquiry by HMRC and we are just beginning to see people from these new types of industries to be gracing our offices as clients. I'm not in any way suggesting that anyone named on any of these threads is defrauding the public exchequer but it is clear that there is scope for a massive hidden economy. I don't think HMRC as a body are yet up to speed with this way of making money and envisage them becoming very interested when they get to grips with it.

Because of my profession I am used to looking into publicly available corporate records, there is nothing sinister about it I am just nosy and am fascinated at the different ways that people make a living. Being from a background of parents who had public sector jobs for life and going into quite a traditional role myself, it's a world away from what is normal to me and its genuinely interesting.

It’s all so disingenuous. Faux we are normal mums just like you. As a mechanism to sell.

Faux - they are normal mums just like everyone else though. Are you suddenly not a normal mum if you have an affluent lifestyle/money/nice house or a life that looks pretty when documented?
You're still a normal parent.

@cadyheron it's no longer normal if say you are an influencer 4 days a week, attending influencer meets and hotel breaks and that is your full time job. No working for your followers by going on holiday for a week to review, is not normal affluent parenting. Not by any stretch, when the reason they were relatable was they worked for the NHS in a hospital.
With regard to above, I meant your sweeping comments that put everyone but yourself and Sofia as coming from an opposing viewpoint and all having the same opinions.

@dynevoran 'hidden economy', would payment in kind for promotional work come under that?, I'm interested as to how receipt of free products or services would fit (if at all). A lot of instagrammers receive free goods ranging from cosmetics, to a washing machine and even a free holiday villa, no money is changing hands but it is payment in kind.

@Today 19:35 CadyHeron

In regards to "that's what these accounts want" I agree to a certain extent. Of course they'll want more exposure, more exposure means more traffic, more followers etc.
It's knowing what is and isn't blurring into personal attacking though. There's nothing wrong with discussing the ethics/privacy etc, but you really think because they put themselves out there they should put up with any old shit about their parenting or their looks etc? There's a fine line and I can imagine the latter they won't be so keen on.
Again, any parenting comments I've read have been related to incidents uploaded or shared so if you don't want them scrutinised, don't share that particular bit of your life. Simple. Looks, I've only seen a comment about new teeth which has been mentioned positively and also by account holders so I think you are just posting misleading comments here.

Bored - it is a job though. It might not be one you agree with, but it's still a job.
They're doing nothing wrong in that respect. If they clearly ad relevant posts, there isn't a problem as no-one should feel "lied" to.
It is their life, a real snapshot of their house etc. You shouldn't have to feel you can't post about your family because it's perceived as showing off or not normal parenting if you have a fancy house or money.
It's still parenting.

I have a weird feeling MOD's coming back with a pregnancy announcement.

That would shut everyone up, wouldn't it.

Bob what makes you think that?

Cady- I never said I didn't agree with it being a job. It is a job and I prefer the accounts that are open about what their account is and what their role is. I said be careful what you post and share. It's easy to avoid negative comments. Loads of accounts don't get negative parenting comments because they are careful what they share.
Of course if your brand and business is your home/kids/daily nonsense you will show it but you can moderate what you share and check whether it's controversial or not. I can want to respond to posts on Instagram but think before I write.
I certainly never said if you have a fancy house you are not a normal parent. I said that the job of influencer changes the account and it is no longer the 'normal' parent that was related to.
Frankly it's hideously dull. I've unfollowed all these egos and have replaced them with bbcspringwatch and the like and it's lovely.

I find the tax and gifted element interesting. In my job we can’t take gifts over a certain value because they have to be declared, what is the deal with the instagrammers!

Cady- I never said I didn't agree with it being a job.

OK, bit confused by this bit then? Apologies if you meant something different? Just that' how it read.

it's no longer normal if say you are an influencer 4 days a week, attending influencer meets and hotel breaks and that is your full time job.

finks100 same here. But they are not professionals. Do magazine editors have to declare gifts?