To be annoyed by the ongoing lack of transparency - Instagram again (Title edited by MNHQ)

[checkedcloth]

The previous thread ended. Anyone else keen to continue to discuss?

Today RVK loves (she of almost monthly holidays and comp’ed home stuff) declared a paid partnership with Fat Face. All good.

Someone comments ‘You are terrible, you’ve made me order the dress and loads of other stuff’. RVK replies ‘oops sorry smiley face’

I had the disingenuous ‘Oops sorry about that’. She’s a paid influencer, it’s her job to make you buy things.

Just own what you are, stop pretending clogging stuff on instagram is some of public service

Can't you just ignore them?

Well, I ignore them, but I appreciate what the OP is getting at. It’s an insidious form of advertising.

Of course I could

I think it’s good to continue to discuss as it keeps them accountable (some are apparently not able to behave morally on their own).

But (although I don’t follow RVK as too much comped and not interesting to me), I feel like that type of thing is okay - if she’s been honest about the partnership. A shop’s social media officer would probably say the same as her in that instance.

Scipio I agree that she has absolutely done the right thing in terms of declaring the paid relationship.

It was the whole faux ‘oh no, so sorry I made you spend some money comment’ that irked me.

It’s annoying, but I feel like it isn’t dishonest, just a bit folksy and the same type of thing an actual brand advertising would say.

Because I don’t like the influencers and what I see as the false ‘I’m just a friend loving some peonies but also would you like to buy the tablecloth they are artfully rearing on’ vibe, I don’t follow her or most other ones that do paid partnerships, ads etc.

resting

I’m intrigued by her lifestyle. I just counted 6 holidays this year alone.

I used to follow her for her lovely kitchen but the lifestyle was too much for me.

Who is RVK?

rvk_loves has a massive house that’s been expensively renovated. Not sure she’s even 30.

Lots of exeonsive holidays and bunches of peonies are classed as ‘essentials’

So how is it a lack of transparency then?
Today RVK loves (she of almost monthly holidays and comp’ed home stuff) declared a paid partnership with Fat Face. All good.

If someone decides to go buy something because they've seen a (declared) advert for something, that's totally on them, surely?
Whoops sorry about that smiley sounds like a reasonable response as in friendly and engaging. I suppose she could have ignored then, but that would possibly have been perceived as rude.

Great to see you Cady!

I unfollowed rvk loves recently. She is 24/25 although her husband is perhaps 10 years older. I have similar tastes in fashion and interiors and used to enjoy her posts, but unfortunately not the same budget. She really does seem to think everyone's life is like hers, holidays, Pilates and gardening. It made me feel crap about myself due to the jealousy so had to unfollow (yes a problem on my part, not hers) but I struggle with the way she doesn't even acknowledge many of her followers don't have the same kind of income to maintain the same lifestyle. Tough one.

Glad you've started a new thread @checkedcloth! Although given how the last thread ended, I do wish we could move on from the "Instamum" focus and broaden it to just Instagram influencers in general. RVK is not a mum but a prominent interiors / lifestyle influencer and with one of most high profile Instamums currently on hiatus, it seems like the ethics debate could continue on a much wider basis to encompass them all.

That’s true - the issue is wider than the instamums.

I'm not on Instagram, but have read the roses & rolltops blog before, for house ideas. I assume she and husband are living on trust funds, tbh, as isn't he some sort of furniture carver? Or is he in the city? Can't recall.
Anyway, I'm fairly sure she's well aware that most readers' lives are nothing like her own- isn't she aiming to be 'aspirational' ? (at her , not you!)
But, it's not 2003 any more, no-one blogs for the fun of it- they do it to monetize their following, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that she is 'gifted' [sic] stuff regularly to push via her platforms?

Thanks checkedcloth. Never heard of rvk. (Which auto corrected to 'evil' ) looks like trust fund Smuggery.

I may not follow enough of them, but I think the ones I do are pretty clear about advertising now. The ASA rules are just not clear enough unfortunately. I think anything 'promoting' a product, holiday etc. Should be marked #ad, unless the influencer paid for it it themselves at the same cost as the consumer would.

How do their kids get away with so many holidays - it's like a youtuber I occasionally watch to see if there are any more kids in the pipeline - they are always on holiday.

If things are clearly marked as an ad what more do you want them to do??

HeyDolly what I said above ^^ I don't think the current rules are helpful. I like when influencers mark things #ad (paid to show it) or #gift (given it for free). Then I can take their recommendations with a pinch of salt. Unless someone pays for something how can I take their recommendation? They can't be honest about their opinion on its quality, value for money etc.

Just like I solve the problem of there being endless tedious, self righteous threads about instamums on Mumsnet by hiding them, you could save yourself all of this misery by simply unfollowing the instamums. Why don't you try it.

Is your otherusername instamum? The rules need to change. They won't change unless someone calls them out. If you're not interested why don't you ignore the thread?

checkedcloth do you mind me suggesting you change the post title from instamums to Instagram influencers.