AIBU to ask if you think 'INFLUENCERS' deserve the criticism and backlash they get?

[FloatingForest]

Do you think it is unfair the amount of criticism influences/social media and content representatives get? (pre and during the covid pandemic)

There has been a massive backlash in those who are currently travelling in Dubai/Maldives and posting photographs on social media - I have seen a lot of hate that has been generated - do you think it is a fair response?

Before covid, it seemed that many influencers were ashamed to admit what they did as a living as there is a negative stigma.

Not a journalist - interested in your thoughts and experiences!!!

Really, it's much more embarrassing that people apparently choose to be "influenced" by them or pay them any attention at all.

A job is a job. It pays the bills and if they enjoy doing it then bonus. I can't get worked up about it.

It’s embarrassing that people are influenced by them yes. It’s shameful that they are so desperate to be an influencer than they have little regard for the current situation. They get paid enough for what ‘work’ they do to budget and survive a (hopefully) short lockdown in a pandemic. I have no sympathy for those that went to Dubai and were seen partying whilst us at home were abiding by the rules doing actual jobs that are of benefit to people and the country. I have no sympathy for those currently in Mexico thinking they are above it.
I can’t relate to them and never have so have never understood the whole influencer thing but the few I did follow Who have behaved in such a way are now unfollowed.

So, someone who earns money by posting their views & lifestyle on social media should have my sympathy because they posted their views & lifestyle on social media?
they could just not do it.

As long as there are eejits with a lack of cognitive abilities, who need other eejits to tell them how to live their little lives, influencers - what a ghastly term, really - will flounder on, criticism or no criticism. All news being good news and so on.

D'Angelo Wallace has recently made a good video about this on YouTube - I agree with his take that influencers are behaving badly.

Kim K and her island 40th birthday
Rita Ora and her restaurant party
Lana del Rey and her mesh mask
Twatty footballers whose names I can't remember
Various YouTuber / Tikular Tok people parties
Charli D'Amelio in the Bahamas (her parents' fault, mind)
Plus the current lot in Dubai

It all adds up, I think. It shows the gap between the haves - can afford to keep themselves and their families safe and piss about in the sun - and the have-nots, who are furloughed, or having to work in risky environments, or have lost their jobs, or have to home-school and work, or whose mental health is suffering for whatever reason.

I think the criticism is justified

I don’t care about them

They make choices, they need to accept the ups and downs

Nobody owes them a living

@Everythingmagnolia

I think the criticism is justified

I agree!

I have nothing but disdain for them. They serve no useful purpose at all but to make people envious of their lifestyle. It's all smoke and mirrors anyway.

So yes - they deserve all the opprobrium they get

How can an influencer be ashamed to admit what they do.,They plaster themselves all over SM....and yes they deserve backlash. ,especially for being idiots during covid

@VeryQuaintIrene

Really, it's much more embarrassing that people apparently choose to be "influenced" by them or pay them any attention at all.

Exactly

Anyone arrogant enough to describe themselves as an influencer, who does something as selfish and irresponsible as travel abroad during a pandemic, deserves all the criticism they get.

I'm critical it's a JOB

Just pisses me off. Seems like the worst example of rampant capitalism and consumerism.

I just fucking hate it 🤷‍♀️

I cant say I've got much sympathy. If you want to live your life out on social media, I dont think you can complain if people comment negatively on it. Obviously it depends what people are actually saying - if they are abusive or vindictive or wont leave them alone then no they don't deserve that, but otherwise people are entitled to their opinion

I think all publicity is good publicity. So it doesn't matter. None of it is real but then many, many jobs are not doing anything real are they.

Do you think it is unfair the amount of criticism influences/social media and content representatives get? (pre and during the covid pandemic)

A lot of it is horrid. It generally says way more about the person making the nasty comments than the 'influencer' or celebrity though.

No one could surely justify some of the absolutely vile stuff aimed at such people though, could they? I mean some if it is just so so awful.

Although based in this thread, maybe some people do think some of the vile nastiness is justified?!

I'm surprised anyone could justify that.

Huge difference between saying 'I'm not keen on x's posts and social media so I just won't follow them' to some of the stuff you seen written in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc,

The sooner this ‘influencer’ culture dies a death the better. We need to stop enabling stupid people to be famous for nothing.

If you put your life out there on social media, don’t whine when people have an opinion about it. If you don’t like it, deactivate your account and get an actual job. I have zero sympathy for any of them whatsoever.

It all adds up, I think. It shows the gap between the haves - can afford to keep themselves and their families safe and piss about in the sun - and the have-nots, who are furloughed, or having to work in risky environments, or have lost their jobs, or have to home-school and work, or whose mental health is suffering for whatever reason.

This.

I've nothing against influencers, if people want to do it and other people want to follow them then no problem. Mostly they are lovely.

But I do think many have been totally tone deaf and braggy about during the pandemic with the whole 'Im on a beach whilst you peasants are all in lockdown' thing. They deserve the backlash on that.

Well I suppose I don't know what's being said so I don't know if it's justified. Death threats etc are of course never ok but what can you do? Some people are awful/disturbed and if you want lots of people to engage with you some of those people are not going to be v nice.

However I'm not sure why I posted on this thread as I literally don't give a shiny shit about influencers. Bored I suppose.

I think that it's a case of the influencers giving their critics a big stick to beat them with.

For transparency i am not an influencer, I work in health care and I am late 20s. I was speaking to a colleague today about it, her niece is big on instragram and I was really shocked to hear how much money she earned from a single post advertising a product- she has made thousands!

(I went back to my shift wondering why an earth i chose this career when I could be making more than I earn in a month on a single advertising photo - but then I snapped back to reality and realised WHY I chose my job and how much pleasure I get making a real difference!)

A few friends of mine are teachers and told me most of the children wanted to be youtubers/influencer when they grew up- I wonder if the bubble will burst!

They are utterly pointless. Can't bring myself to care. They live by exploiting people and taking money to promote dodgy goods.