Every time I think Mommy culture has jumped the shark, they come up with something even more ridiculous.
12
Influencer. n. A charismatic and/or narcissistic individual who monetizes self-promotion, bribery and slander on the Internet. Influencers lack meaningful work skills except for self-confidence, which they believe obviates the need for critical thinking. It was once believed that Influencers were primarily teens and young adults, whose brains being insufficiently connected to frontal lobe introspective centers, could accept adulation without expertise
Later research is discovering that the blithe lack of empathy present in young influencers, hardens into brittle adult psychopathy. Grown Influencers accept their imaginary high stations as deserved and have no empathy for the careerists whose lives they casually destroy.
30
Thank goodness I'm too past this stage in my life. Absolutely competitive, not matter how these women phrase it by saying they're 'trying to help each other'. So much stress trying to act and look perfect.
9
Anything that would involve me pimping for Walmart or Amazon, each of whose owners' net worth is many orders of magnitude more than mine, is a total non-starter. Let's see how many negative posts these women publish about products they get for free.
10
Life was more interesting when children played outside and moms played bridge and drank martinis with their friends.
33
A cautionary tale for "influencers" https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2017/08/04/bride-groom-who-slammed-dallas-wedding-photographer-online-in-media-must-pay-1-08m/
4
What a time to be alive.
9
every photo in this article of these influencers with their own children they are on their computer or phoone....imagine the influence they could have on their children if they chose to interact with them instead of people they do not know
33
My 2017 Honda Pilot that was 5,500 out of warranty when a clear manufacturing defect was discovered. I firmly but politely explained to the dealer Service Manager that I expected it to be repaired at no cost to me. After a consultation with the lead mechanic and General Manager, which I insisted upon, the car was repaired and I was not charged. Total time four hours. If I had taken to Twitter I think I’d still be ranting.
23
I think we are a culture of lonely people and that is why so many turn to influencers. We used to ask our friends or relatives for advice, but now we turn to strangers, thinking of them as friends even though they can't possibly know all one million of their followers.
16
I can't wait to learn how the children of "influencers" will feel about their parents' choices when they become adults. Will they be proud that their parents forged the new economy and politics that has, by 2030, completely overtaken the old? Ashamed of how their childhoods were sold? Roped into the family business before they're old enough to make any choices for themselves? Living in hiding from the legions of the "influenced" who are, for heavens sake, painting portraits of them? Master influencers themselves, so embedded in this culture that one of them becomes the apotheosis of our current Manchurian Candidate, with every voter and representative completely in his or her thrall?
I remain a part of a small Gen X parenting subculture, forcing my children to perform IRL activities like reading, chores, sports, play, church, and best of all, doing nothing. They enjoy having a childhood. We wonder who these charming people, whom we still recognize as small humans like us, will hang out with when they grow up.
21
I know ... I'm a dreaded Gen-X mother (almost as bad as a boomer, right?), but I am completely baffled by what these "influencers" have to offer and why I would take their advice on ... anything. Call me a rebel, but I am happy to go it alone on life altering decisions like choosing a moisturizer or dealing with the dryer repair guy.
59
@KWH
We Gen Xers (I am a dog mommy, no human kids) are different than our Boomer mothers in that we are helicopter, over bearing parents.
2
“Almost as bad as a boomer”? Seems a little rude.
5
I'd like to be an old guy with a bad attitude lifestyle influencer but I don't see a lot of money in it. Other old guys with bad attitudes don't give a damn what anybody else thinks. I hate those guys.
I'll just go bug my wife instead.
37
My initial thoughts on reading this was 'Who needs this' and then I remember the Billions and Billions spent by companies on advertising - almost all of it misleading and borderline close to misrepresentation so yes, pushback against advertising can't be a bad thing.
4
I wish people would stop commodifying themselves on social media.
25
How can Mrs Houston claim some other entity co-opt another 's brand when they co-opt another brand (i.e. Saint James breton shirts)? Is being a influencer just another way to asking for free stuff? Something tells me these women are in a good tax bracket to buy their own goods or at least create their own goods.
17
Back in 1957 - The great director, Elia Kazan, predicted this current cultural zeitgeist with his iconic film "A Face in the Crowd" --
"A Face in the Crowd is a 1957 American drama film starring Andy Griffith (in his film debut), Patricia Neal and Walter Matthau, directed by Elia Kazan...
The story centers on a drifter named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes who is discovered by the producer (Neal) of a small-market radio program in rural northeast Arkansas. Rhodes ultimately rises to great fame and influence on national television."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Face_in_the_Crowd_%28film%29
At one point in the movie - having risen to the height of his social power, the lead character - played by Andy Griffith - makes the following proclamation - verbatim -
"I’m not an entertainer. I’m an influencer, a wielder of opinion, a force . . . a force!"
!!!
So - as we can see - the term "influencer" was first used over sixty years ago - much in the same manner as we use it today -- and mostly without a positive connotation -
And - as you might expect - things do not end well for Griffith's character in the movie -
24
@Howard G Great Film! On TCM Friday the 29th at 10:00 pm
8
I consider these opinions like I do any other "paid" advertising. That's what it is. Maybe not paid in dollars but pretty much like what's going on right now in government. "do me a favor". The person may be feeling unfilled and the attention is payment. I skip those.
Some sites are honest enough to list if that they are being compensated or if you click on a link they will be compensated. I skip those as well.
I can make up my own mind, as well as fight my own battles if a product is misrepresented. I don't need someone else to do it for me.
13
I just don't get the whole "influencer" thing - why does some random person have a better opinion than someone else. I hope this is a fad that will pass. Personally have never even been on Instagram and don't "follow" any one selling something. People should think for themselves and do their own research.
29
Much of this could be considered libel or slander. “I had to take her word for it,” Ms. Houston said.' No, she did not. She chose to take the blogger's word for it and make accusations without investigating the facts.
-
Damaging someone's reputation or business seems like so much righteous fun to these self-appointed guardians. But they have crossed the line from opinion and chatty social media stuff to making a profit from it. Professional critiques are gossip blogs are different. Wait for the retaliatory lawsuits and this whole thing will go away.
36
You want to be an influencer? Fine, have fun, and I hope you fulfill your dreams and ambitions and pursuit of wealth.
Just leave your young children out of it! At least until they are old enough to consent to your including them in your promotional posts and blogs.
29
Every day I find it amazing just how incredibly vapid, arrogant, and idiotic American culture has become.
86
@Andrew I share your feeling.
Unfortunately though in many cases we start the idiocy and the rest of the word blithely follows.
The word "influencer" is cringe inducing.
19
It’s funny to see so many people slamming people they have never meet over the internet (after likely doing very little research) for slamming people over the internet.
I don’t think we have a problem with influencers because you can’t stop someone from sharing their experiences with brands... I read reviews, including those posted on blogs, before making a purchase. They’re helpful. At the end of the day you have to realize some reviews were paid for and not everyone’s experience will be yours, but it’s nice to have outside options. Maybe we have a problem with people idolizing and blindly following “celebrities”... But this was happening in our society way before Instagram ever existed.
3
Influencers rely on building trust with their readers, and I don't doubt that most of them are trustworthy. However, the internet has shown that there are large numbers bad actors who take advantage of trust. At some point, cynicism from being taking advantage will cause people to turn away from influencers.
3
What is it about me that doesn't think the world longs to know my every thought? My every anecdote about my remarkable and amusing child? Why doesn't my desire to influence extend beyond how the sunflowers grow in the garden?
I do not want followers. I do not want to monetize the every day joys and challenges of life. Like Emily Dickenson, I am a nobody. And I love it. Clearly, there's something wrong with me.
80
Many years ago I bought my very first brand new car, a shiny white 1994 Mazda 626. I was so proud of it. But, as is said, pride goeth before a fall. From day one it had a seemingly endless series of problems; an engine software control problem that dropped cylinders, valve lifters tapping, spark plug wires that shorted out, and a Ford built automatic transmission that was dangerously failing for the third time before the car reached 90,000 miles. I tried the dealer, little or no help. I wrote to Mazda’s U.S. headquarters, absolutely no help. Interestingly, I would have written to the head of Mazda’s U.S. organization but his or her identity was well hidden, even when their customer support was directly asked for the name. I then did what any unhappy consumer should do, I traded the car and never looked back. And by not looking back, I mean that I will never buy another Mazda and not because they sold a lemon. I understand that not all cars are well designed or well built. I will never buy another because of the way their organization from the sales and service department to the top treated me. That’s what a consumer should do, hang them out to dry. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice... well that won’t happen ever again.
12
Not a mom, but always interested in the consumerist machinations of SM... so I just looked at the hashtag "momlife" on IG and an uncomfortably large number of posts were simply promoting Multi Level Marketing schemes for things like essential oils, makeup, and other female targeted consumer detritus. I guess It's no surprise that SAHM's are the target market for MLM's, but still. Have SAHM's not learned anything from the Lularoe fiasco?
14
I don’t think you can say the targets are SAHM’s. I live in a community full of them, as well as working moms, and wome from both groups go to the MLM parties. Some sell MLM products as a career or as a sideline to their other work.
@NG
Two populations are specifically vulnerable to these schemes; stay at home moms in the LDS community and military wives. Many report feeling socially isolated and wanting to earn extra cash but unfortunately find themselves in mounting debt with useless products sitting in their houses. Lularoe, Scentsy, Pure Romance, and DoTerra are the biggest offenders. And they use IG as their platform to target these SAHMs.
3
Unfortunately this story brings to mind a rather distasteful term of the far right for the folks who subscribe to these "influencers" : sheep, with no mind of their own.
7
You have to be a bit of a sad pathetic individual to be influenced by these smug self centered influencers,claiming social concerns and fairness when it's really all about money and self promotion.
But this is the pox that is social media.
43
Shilling for diaper manufacturers or a beach resort in the Bahamas is still shilling, no matter how cutesy these Moms make it. Those thousands of followers feel they have a personal connection with this or that influencer but in the end, it's a big "LOOK AT ME!" exercise for the Moms. One that puts their children in the spotlight (and possible online danger) as well.
28
The era of social media has created the ME, ME,ME, it's all about ME! attitude and frankly it's very tiresome and obnoxious.
If these 'influencers' want to help, then take the suggestions of the other posters here and fight for social, economic, political etc change for good, for many people, not just yourself.
Otherwise, I too hope these self absorbed people fade away in to vapor and become a thing of the past.
19
I don't pay attention to anything posted by so-called "influencers". Self-serving narcissists looking for their Instagram fame and to make a buck (or a lot more). If we raised children think and assess everything they read or see on the internet or in the media, "influencers" wouldn't be a thing. People would be able to make their own minds up about what to read, wear, buy without being led by some stranger with a snap-chat-altered selfie posting questionable information for questionable motives.
7
Let us say an influencers slams a small brand probably incorrectly. The brand loses business. what legal recourse does the brand have?
The social media company isnt liable, the influencer isn't accountable.
Yet another way social media helps in propagating lies and falsehoods.
6
I can't wait for the next recession to wash away 99% of these influencers. It's an absurd way to make money without any quantifiable skills.
32
Cancelling Instagram and Twitter would make humanity better.
21
@Bob
They are already replaced by Snapchat. Cancelling one platform is like a game of Whack-A-Mole; shut one down and another invariable becomes popular.
4
These people literally sell pictures of their kids to make money. It's sad.
22
Influencer. Nice work if you can get it.
1
The mean girls from high school got a laptop and took it from there.
108
Exactly.
7
Waaaay too much time on their hands.
18
Social media is a Petri dish of rank commercialism, data collection, espionage, and hoaxes. Moreover, while it has valid uses, it's peripheral to the experience of life. Life can neither be relegated to a screen nor reduced to a flash sale.
20
"Influencers" are advertisers using their families as props. It's sad that goals of preventing climate change's worst impacts aren't more on the minds of these moms than what we should be buying next.
18
I agree. But you could say that about people in many, many professions!
1
Imagine a mother having/taking the time to have a presence on Instagram. Which will come first, the kids’ shrinks or divorce court?
12
So, what, these are women who chose to be stay-at-home-moms and now they can’t find enough to do?! Or are they women who can’t find real jobs?! What kind of resumes will they have?
Coffee with neighbors was my mother’s solution in the 50s-60s, my own was to develop a keen interest in gardening and DIY. The kids all grew up and I still use my skills.
5
my influencers are my friends, family, and other people that i know whom i respect and admire, and who have good taste! why would i bank on the say-so of some stranger with a(n often hidden) financial motive?
10
The posse is riding and vigilante justice is coming.
1
First question: why is "mom influencer" even a thing. The only qualification need to be a mom is having unprotected sex. Having a child does not make you a good mom, does not teach you anything about how children should be raised, does not make you know what's "right" for children, nor really anything else.
Second: who cares? If you listen to unqualified people when choosing which brand to buy, that's your own fault.
46
As a handweaver who used to make bespoke baby wraps, I've had to deal with these "influencers." Their dirty little secret: some of them attempt to extort companies for products they can review for their followers. A large corporation like Procter & Gamble can afford to comp these women a few bottles of shampoo or conditioner for positive reviews; however, it's a bit much to ask an artist to hand over, gratis, an expensive, handmade item so it can be "tested and reviewed for their followers."
57
There's a "mom influencer" in our neighborhood who churns out instagram posts - Everything looks to be someone's version of perfect and similar to many other mom influencer posts (white walls, subway tiles, fig trees...etc).
I drive by the house a lot (because its on a main street) and think how happy I am that I don't have to take my work home with me. How exhausting. I hope she pays her kids since they're used as props.
20
@Kevin I had to laugh at one of the ladies in this article using books as decorative props to hold up candles. That says it ALL to me.
3
Is Striped Sheep going to pay the French Govt for stealing the design of it's classic French Navy sweater?
Seriously have to wonder what was so unique about a design of a sweater with stripes that it merited calling out another brand.
There are and have been some egregious thefts of design by huge companies like Urban Outfitters and others. I really wonder if this particular incident was really in that league.
11
Don't I have to know who you are for you to influence me? A couple thousands views isn't anything. Sure, maybe they "sell out" of the 10 shirts they sell out of their own homes with zero overhead costs. Maybe they're rock stars to their niche, maybe that one really good essential oil saleswoman that only other essential oil saleswomen care or have heard about.
Most accounts, followers, likes are fake. Vet these people first. Kylie Jenner is a legitimate influencer. These people are friends of friends of the writer who are just trying to get more famous.
2
I remember not too long ago when my two kids were babies, born 19 months apart, that I was exhausted and had very little time to do anything for myself, let alone blogging during nap time, playtime or whenever. It just wasn’t possible. We were on a serious schedule to get everyone’s needs (the kids) taken care of. It was a crazy time, but so wonderful and rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Last week you had the Moms from Botany Bay Australia and their stories about how effortlessly they make their soaps and hawk them on the internet while having five kids each. Now this article comes, and you left out that the Mom who stood up about her $1300 (what?!) washing machine to the company has a nanny and her husband does a lot of work on her blog too. Not exactly full disclosure there. I suspected that the women from Australia had the same deal happening, also.
As a businessperson myself, now with two teenaged daughters who Tim Tok and watch every video-fluencer there is, I have been debating whether having an “influencing” webpage may be good for our eyeglass business, but I didn’t want to appear pandering, I’m not sure about Payola rules (if there is such a thing anymore), and don’t want it to take away from the excellent customer service I provide with a personal touch, that is so lacking in the service sector anymore. I fear that I seem out of touch, antiquarian.
What are you trying to tell us, or sell us, NYT?
11
Potential for adult online bullying is huge. What kind of role models are these adults for the children they are raising? These “influencers” are not demonstrating critical or strategic thinking, and appear to be missing the bigger picture. They are not improving anything but their own tiny piece of real estate.
13
I have a short rant. Why do so many articles and ads begin with the word, "moms"? The word has become a euphemism for all women of child bearing age. I'd like to think that just because a woman has a child or two, it doesn't reflect her sole identity. Women have jobs. Women have intelligence. And some of the articles and ads have nothing to do with their children. headline example: "This mom took on Wall Street." or "A mom finds the best way to clean burned pans." Are we so gullible as women that we think if a "Mom" likes it, it must be good?
37
Yes, and also it minimizes the same things when it’s a woman with no kids. Good Morning America is very blatant with this. If the woman in a news story is (1) a mother or (2) married/engaged, the writers make sure that is prominently noted. Their contests are geared towards those groups. Everyone else is chopped liver!
5
These blogs thrive on drama. It's not even about the products. That's why they have such a following, if you go by Heather Armstrong's blog, which owed its appeal to buckets-of-popcorn style personal drama and confessions. It's a cult of personality that attracts followers who are addicted to the personal lives and families of these women as a substitute for their own personal vacuums. Ok, some of it's fun I'm sure in fairness. It's like enjoying something almost fictional, these wars between businesses, and the dramas they engender, but real people's livelihoods are in the balance. It's great that Ms. Houston takes a stand on the local bakery, but it's totally arbitrary, and who knows if she or any of them are paid enough, what they will say?
Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop, although it sells its own products, is
7
I really wish youtube (alphabet aka google) would add advertiser commentary capability like Instagram does. There’s about 50 useless video game companies I’d like to slam!
I can’t fathom the thinking of a parent who would use their children or their likeness in the cesspool that’s the internet can be, to gain “ followers” and sway public opinion. Those poor kids.
17
So some never really outgrow the high school “mean girls” cliques...this is just more of the same. Rushes to judgment and forming allegiances. The word influencer just makes me cringe. Sounds like the fundamentals of cultism. And while we’re on the subject, how many of these moms spend most of their waking hours with their faces buried in devices (all while checking to make to make sure they look perfect while they film), ignoring their kids?
37
Sheep will always find someone to follow. Sadly, it is rarely someone who is actually a good role model.
5
So hawking a bunch of consumerist goods or being worried about high end retailers being uh engaged in competition is apparently what makes you a good mom...not you know using your momfluence to talk about the effects of climate change on our children.
15
Yes, sometimes the influencer can be the Goliath attacking a small startup David over an inadequaterly researched story.
And most of the time, the influencer socks it to a Fortune 500 company hiding behind inflexible policies, customer service numbers that don't resolve anything, and misleading ads.
1
Hopefully (though not likely), the entire culture of "influencers" will be jettisoned into history's dustbin with people who read goat entrails to predict the future. But I know it's too much to ask people to think for themselves
273
There’s a lot not to like about influencers, but I take issue with your idea of “thinking for yourself.” Do you also think the NYTimes shouldn’t put out its best books list? Should Consumer Reports stop reviewing products? Do you want your own friends to not tell you when they’ve had a good or bad experience with a product or service? There’s nothing wrong with sharing information and opinions about products and services.
19
@SZ Fantastic comment!
5
@L Your comparisons do not hold. Consumer Reports holds itself to a high watermark of ethics and objectivity. NYTimes does the same. When it comes to reviewing books, I challenge you to compare the depth of a typical review to that of a blogpost by an influencer.
This is the essence of the problem: in the influencer space there is no filter on the opinions, no risk to reputation, no longevity, no accountability to truth, and no standard of journalism.
53
What a racket the entire "industry" of influencers is. Flash in the pan.
10
The Maytag incident is when I stopped reading Ms Armstrong's blog. It's hard to imagine an individual can come off as the bully vs a major corporation, but it felt like straightforward bullying.
Before that incident, I enjoyed reading about some shared experiences. We're the same age and, like Ms Armstrong, I had two young kids. I worked outside the home, as did my husband. Ms Armstrong worked at home on the blog. Her husband worked at home on the blog. Her full-time nanny was at home. When the washing machine broke, she started complaining about the stinky laundry piling up. She lit candles to mask the smell. When her readers suggested one of the three adults in the house might make a run to the laundromat, she was outraged. Her readers just didn't get it! She decided to tweet at Maytag instead -- demanding justice for this crime against humanity.
Is it a pain when you have a poor costumer service experience? Yes. But the level of entitlement is off the charts.
Also, you know who is interested in reading about that time the repairman didn't show up? Nobody.
104
@CJ Disagree completely. When you buy a new appliance it should work. The company didn't repair it. It's not "entitlement" to expect to get what you paid for. It's amazing to me how little we seem to expect from the companies we buy goods and services from in our supposedly "consumer culture."
2
What about their kids? Every picture, fact, “funny” story lives forever online. NYT has documented the risk of average parents over sharing. What’s the risk for children of influencers?
Perhaps a bit dramatic, but survivors of child sex abuse also stated deep frustration and trauma at not being able to outrun the internet’s long and insidious memory. While I’m not comparing the posted content, in both situations the children have no agency. For influencer moms, they often identify children by name online. Not to mention face recognition tech is excellent. Maybe another area where influencer moms ought to do more research. What does their freebie really cost their kids?
135
I do not do social media. I think it is FULL of posers and fakes. I do not put anystore in what these people have to say or even think. Self aggrandizment mis NOT an attractive trait. But with no other skills I can see these people falling into this trap of believing themselves important. Which they are not. Volunteering to actually work with children or the elderly is what will make you an important and worthwhile person in my eyes. These vapid people need a real life and if they do not feel important, then they shopuld find somewhere to devote your energy where you can actually make a difference for society.
18
Maybe these "influencers" could spend a lot more time using their "power" to call out companies that pollute or treat their workers badly.
217
@BNYgal where do you think these influencers' clothing brands are made? They are made by poor people in developing countries.
8
Moms are not and should not be sacrosanct. They have as much defects as any other person.
There should be a good faith and due diligence duty on the part of influencers. If you think about it, the word is slightly ridiculous. It is not a B.A., M.A. or PhD in anything whatsoever.
However, there is such a thing as a First Amendment right. So, there is an inherent problem with the capacity to influence so many and ruin so much and so many with little or minimal intelligence or knowledge, or indeed, accountability.
63
So weirdly narcissistic. So deeply icky. Setting oneself as a kind of household queen....and, then there is the issue of ethics. A world awry, if we needed any more proof.
87
@Concerned Mother Deeply icky. The very words I was looking for! Thank you.
9
I suddenly have more interest in Tuckernut now. The mob mentality on social media is out of control.
6
The sad part about this story is that these mothers are rising the next generation of wannabes.
24
21st Century gossip... Peyton Place on steroids
When gossip is your primary source of information, you are a low information consumer..
10
NY Times this morning: climate change is reaching the point of no return for all life on the planet
but glad the mommy influencers are around to tell us which shirt is OK to buy
18
On the other side of the coin, and as underscored by Ms. Houston's comments at the end of this article, as she talks about an influencer's power to 'ruin' a business via social media criticism:
A rather dangerous set of gatekeepers?
Potentially!
3
As a 22 year old, I follow a lot of "influencers" whether they be makeup artists, fitness enthusiasts, or whatever. I love watching YouTube for product reviews, and I also read Wirecutter. I take every review with a grain of salt, and I will typically watch 5-10 reviews on a product that I am considering purchasing. I also tend to watch "influencers" with smaller followings as they tend to be more honest because they usually purchase the products themselves rather than it getting sent to them to promote.
You just have to use discretion like with anything. It's just about being a conscious consumer.
Although, I do hate the "cancel culture" that has overran the internet like in the case where they had all the mommy followers dogpile the brand who they had claimed stole the design without any real proof. That just seems ignorant to me.
13
With close to 100,000 readers on TripAdvisor, I cannot imagine posting anything not based on my personal experience. To do otherwise seems quite dishonest to me. And I would not post a negative review without first giving the company a chance to respond and resolve any issues. I like to think of it as ethical behavior.
12
When I worked in TV broadcast media, we were required every year to sign a “payola-plugola” form, which forbade us from accepting anything free and prevented us from promoting any product on-the-air.
The term goes back to the 1950’s, when radio disc jockeys were being paid to play records to boost their sale.
Obviously, all those safeguards in mainstream media are out-the-door in the unregulated Wild West of the internet.
As the examples in this story show, in the end, it all comes down to money.
Every minute of every day, someone is after your money.
In every transaction and every appeal, be it television, radio, billboards, newspapers, magazines, internet, even transit signage and “influencer moms,” the point is to separate you from your cash.
Be Smart. Choose wisely.
37
It's a lot easier to just post than it is to engage with maybe the manager or the person at the front desk and get things taken care of. It looks like just another outlet for bored upscale suburban moms too lazy to do any real research. And don't the kids just sitting ignored while mom primps for the video look so happy. And how about engaging with an entity before putting some emotional unresearched opinion out to the public. And no you shouldn't comment on stuff you get for free. That's not power, that is using and being used. Of course, none of this would matter if people would think for themselves but that requires effort for a generation that reduces everything to a click on an app.
58
@jrk “ bored upscale suburban moms too lazy to do any research”
I think it’s odious to plaster your kids photos all over the internet along with your/ their every move, but I notice a lot of sneering at mothers in general on-line. Why would you assume anyone with small children who is running a business ( or not) is lazy or bored ??
7
Thank you New York Times for another fantastic article on influencers. Your thorough and in depth coverage of this critical social movement is so important in this age of sensationalist media. This in depth reporting is sadly lacking elsewhere.
There is hope!
17
influencers at one end or suckers at the other end?
31
The best things in life aren't things.
46
@misterdangerpants Nope. Apparently they are social media posts about things.
-
And Happy Thanksgiving - I did know what you meant.
1
Self absorbed, egoistic, grandiose persons searching for new ways to work, their fifteen minutes of early fame but lacking true business acumen, research integrity and forethought before hitting send or post.
136
@DR Yes. Note that at least one of these (Heather Armstrong, dooce) has repeatedly use her platform and following to lash out at her own personal enemies...
29
To me, the most unfortunate part of this story and the whole influencer trend is how easily and blindly people follow these accounts.
I feel old (and I'm not that old) saying that a lot of people seem to have lost the ability to think for ourselves because of social media. But I honestly don't think it was social media that caused this. Critical thinking seems to have went out the window a long time ago, definitely before social media came onto the scene. There is, across the board, a lack of ability to read and understand basic information about a plethora of topics. Companies and advertisers are taking advantage of this to their benefit and to great success. Good for them. It's their job to advertise their products. But very sad in other respects how easily so many people follow along.
116
@Eric "Companies and advertisers are taking advantage of this to their benefit and to great success."
Sadly, it's not only commercial, but extreme right- (and left-) wing political interests have found it so easy to sway people whose schools have failed to prepare them to function well as adults, and especially as citizens who can think for themselves.
19
Why blame the schools? Here, too, critical thinking and research is needed. Blaming the schools is just a fall back position for whatever problems society faces.
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@Gary I teach science in a public high school. I challenge my students daily with their ability to think critically about data and the world around them. Perhaps it's my very small slice of the world that I'm dealing with, but I can say with 100% certainty that most (but definitely not ALL) of my students lack critical thinking skills. Did they never get challenged to think in the lower grades? I doubt it. Is this something that comes from home? I don't know. Is it just inherently easier to let someone else think for them in the classroom? Absolutely. While Earth Science is my class, I try to remind my students the purpose of their attendance at school (in all their classes) is to learn new thinking skills. I am hopeful that message gets taken to heart (eventually).
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I am curious how these same moms - most of whom seem to have younger kids, but some may have tweens and teens - feel about their own children’s technology and social media use. Do they encourage it for hours on end? What about conflict online?
Parental modeling is under emphasized in today’s digital age, especially among mom-influencers who can sometimes be just as mean and challenging online as middle schoolers.
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How about influencers on the political scene? How about raising intelligent and industrious children?
How about working for a happy marriage? It's not just about shopping and what is the best diaper to buy. It seems that the influencers audience just want someone else to take responsibility for their actions. "Please tell me what to do?"
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@JN They all want to believe their banality is purely original thinking. Perhaps someone might actually suggest that their banality isn't so original after all..
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@JN It's easier just to sell cheap clothes and junk health advice than make societal change.
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@JN I follow moms whose posts are about raising intelligent and industrious children. This story isn't about them, but there are some great ones out there.
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Yet another reason to avoid social media.
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Personally, I think the instagram world is out of control.
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Getting your followers to spam messages to companies or people online like that is called brigading and is generally frowned upon online. There are much better ways to solve issues and using your community as a weapon like that won't make you any friends, as can be seen from Tuckernuck's response.
If you're having trouble resolving an issue with a company, then it's perfectly normal to make a post on Twitter or something to try to get a better response from them. But to encourage your followers to do the same is bad business. Just ask them to like your post, not brigade the company.
It looks like Ms. Houston won't be getting a sponsored deal from Tuckernuck and I wonder how many other companies will be turned off by what she's doing. It's a small world and randomly attacking people makes it a lot smaller.
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I heard a story of a caterer (recommended by a venue for a wedding) who disagreed with the prospective bride about how much food or chairs or time or something simple who then dissed this (excellent and locally renowned) caterer for being "uncooperative" without even using them! I appreciate Ms Houston at least advising against such really silly complaints that can, in fact, cause serious harm to a business but the initial "theft" of a design was never investigated by her. Very strange and inconsistent which is, let's face it, what most of these reviews are.
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Thousands of people believe whatever because someone they never met but identify with said it on social media - sounds like Trump fans following his Tweets.
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'...her research did not extend beyond reading the blog post by Ms. Feldman and talking to other mom influencers. “I had to take her word for it,” Ms. Houston said.'
And you couldn't call the company you were about to trash and get their word on the subject? That's disgraceful.
At a minimum, these "influencers" should be required to include in their posts the fact that they've received free stuff or other payments in exchange for their "reviews."
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I'm a bit appalled at the ethics of this whole business. Just because you're transparent about receiving free goods and services doesn't mean that it's ethical to then report positively on it. (I noticed that the article never mentioned whether someone ever reported negatively on a free good or service. Do they just self censor any potentially negative posts?)
I'm also appalled at how little research these so-called "influencers" do prior to posting. Perhaps the original complainer was wrong? Why was it assumed that the smaller company had to be right and the larger company was automatically wrong? Again, there's an ethical component to being in a privileged position, yet it seems to be an afterthought or - at best - a self-congratulatory moment. (Look, I waited to trash a brand new coffee shop).
Its hard to know the realities about the Tuckernuck/Striped Sheep battle. But the idea of getting a bunch of folks to trounce on the larger company because of an unsubstantiated complaint from the smaller company reeks to me of inappropriate mob mentality.
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@HN The general rule with influencers is that they don't post about things they try and don't like. This is to avoid getting on the bad side of a PR firm that represents multiple clients (especially if some of the other brands they rep are good and/or give lots of free stuff). So you don't ever know if an influencer doesn't like something OR they didn't get one for free to try. This is not a millenial or instagram issue, magazines have done this for decades.
My rule is that I only follow 'influencers' who buy about 50% of the stuff they shill. You'll find that the people who buy their own stuff will 100% tell you the fact that they bought it. They know it lends more credibility. The problem is that the influencers that buy their own stuff are usually already rich...so you are just supporting/following wealth people and there's a bias inherent to that.
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@Niche Why do you follow them at all? There are many professional evaluation sites that given factual critiques using solid methodology. These "influencers" sound like nothing more than gossip mongers that have the advantage of the internet to reach more people than leaning over the back fence talking with a neighbor could do.
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