We live in interesting times. Times when anyone with a social media account and a decent collection of numbers can proclaim themselves a “social media influencer”. It’s become such a derided word, that the mere mention of the word “influencer” is accompanied by an eye-rolling exercise.
Yet, such “influencers” are now the backbone of digital advertising. They are feted by brands, and paid to endorse products and services. The idea is because people with a following have perceived “influence”, in that they can influence people to buy a product or use a service.
That said, there’s been a bit of a backlash against influencers in recent times whether by critical fans or disgruntled fellow social media participants. But this is not a rant about how fake the industry is because it is.
What prompted this post is when I stumbled upon a post on Instagram a few days ago. And this specific post made me see red.
I have become rather inured to celebrity/influencer shills of beauty products and services. The fact will always be that a pretty face, sexy pose, and a curious tendency for their clothes to be too small for them or fall off their body, sells. Beauty brands have always used celebrities and models to sell their products before this. Now, that has shifted to using online personalities, who have perceived clout among their following.
At one time, I was critical of it. Now, I’m ambivalent. It does not mean that I’m accepting of this trend. I do maintain that brands should be much more discerning in their choice of KOLs (Key Opinion Leader) or influencers. While numbers are a good indication of following, they should look further and deeper and see if the KOL’s lifestyle and other products that they shill match the brands’ ideals. Also, there is a much larger pool of KOLs with smaller numbers, but who are far more passionate about the cause or industry, and who therefore, wield greater influence among their peers.
Lest you think I’m bitter, I’m not. I don’t speak for myself in this, as I do not profess to be a KOL, nor do I intend to influence anyone. As I often tell people, I don’t intend to influence. But if you are, I can’t help that! 😀
Influencers should stop shilling Health products
But there is one category that upsets me greatly when I see it shilled online, and that is anything to do with health. Most often, these are related to products promoting slimming, or appetite suppressants. Things you consume. And that is what the Instagram post that made me angry is about.
This is the post in question, which I’ve screencapped.
Note: I have been informed that this screencapped post has been deleted from the account in question. Mayhap I hit a raw nerve? It’s hard to say.
I will preface this by saying I have no idea who this person is. But I’ve since found out that she is a popular local social media influencer and a model/celebrity – your usual run of the mill “influencer” locally.
I don’t know what she’s selling if I’m to be honest. Here is her caption extracted verbatim – you tell me if you understood this garbled jumble of words , seemingly put together with no thought at all. As a friend told me on Instagram, it was throwing a jumble of word spaghetti against the wall and hoping something sticks 😀
Just a sachet an hour before dinner easily help to block carbs and melt fats from a heavy meal. It actually helps to liquify starch/carbs into water. In other words, it soaks up dietary fats into insoluble residue, turn into stool. #ad
Apparently, this revolutionary product first, blocks carbs and melts fats. But wait, it then liquifies starch and carbs into water. Amazing science right there! It sounds almost like something from Star Trek. Oh hang on, “in other words”, implying that I didn’t understand the earlier two sentences (which I didn’t), it soaks up fats and turns it into stool.
So, what does it do then? Block or melt or soak it up?! You tell me! But you know what? Your stomach and intestines will turn dietary fibre into stool as well, and in the process, absorb all the nutrients from the food you just ate, giving you energy and vitamins vital to survival. Isn’t that a much, much better option?
But dubious science and garbled gobbledygook aside, the fact is that this is being shilled to her followers, in an attempt to influence them into buying and consuming this product – whatever it is. From what little English I can string together to comprehend, it is essentially a dietary suppressant to aid in weight or fat control. This, I have no respect for, because products like this or appetite suppressants which this same girl promotes in a different post are unhealthy and can even be dangerous.
When I shared this on Instagram Stories, a reader who is a doctor shared with me that many of these weight loss supplements have ingredients that basically operate as laxatives. Chronic laxative usage can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, irritable bowel syndrome and altered lining of your bowel mucosa, among others. This is not even taking into account the undue stress you put on your liver and kidneys which can cause them to give up and break down. Take too much of these and you could even put additional stress on your heart to keep up with your weight loss. You could end up with a lifetime of medical distress and a mountain of medical bills, just because you wanted to lose a little weight. Is that worth it?
But more importantly, do these Key Opinion Leaders have an opinion on this?
I can tell you they do not. I’m not sure what they have an opinion on, but it will not be on the side-effects of what they’re peddling to their fans and followers. Perhaps they have an opinion on the amount of money they are receiving for peddling this crap on their platform.
I was told that this particular girl is just 25 years old. Like most social media influencers, she is tall, slim and pretty. Do you think she actually consumes the product she’s selling? I highly doubt so. What is far more likely is that she eats very little and exercises a lot. She could also be genetically thin. To use this advantage, to sell a slimming product to the masses is, to put it mildly, irresponsible.
Recently also, we have seen the Kardashians peddling appetite suppressant teas and lollipops to their following. Locally, we have celebrities/influencers who peddle supplements to “increase your height” or “supplements for babies to make them look fairer”. Do they even think about the side effects of that? Babies. Why on earth do babies have to look fairer?! And increasing your height? How does an oral supplement do that? If it worked, we’d be a nation of giants.
Influencers have a social responsibility to their followers and fans
I have spoken to many people who have lots of stories to tell me about their “influencers” friends. Most of them never try the products they’re posing with, be it skincare, makeup or supplements. They just pose with the product, have their assistant (or even the brand itself) come up with a caption which they copy and paste, and publish it. That’s it. That’s the truth. And as someone in the industry (as it were), it galls me. As a lover of beauty, it pains me because so much hogwash is being circulated by those with large followings.
I have maintained through the years that bloggers owe society a moral sense of responsibility. Back then, we had bloggers shilling drastic weight loss programmes where you subsist on a mere 500 calories a day, and hormone injections. Or you had bloggers undergoing medical liposuction and unnecessary treatments and then telling their readers about it, and offering discounts at their doctors. I was critical of it back then.
And I’m just as critical of anything to do with shilling health treatments or products today. Just as bloggers, who are the forerunners of today’s KOLs, have a moral and social responsibility to their readers, so do social media KOLs and influencers to their followers.
It galls me that anyone would willingly potentially endanger the life of someone who merely had the misfortune to admire, respect and trust the opinions of that person, in exchange for money. To this end, I am not saying here that the product being shilled in the example above, is dangerous. But if something you consume can simultaneously block, liquify and soak up what you eat, I think that’s dangerous, don’t you? 😛 It might be an excellent drain-pipe declogger, but I’d keep it away from my internal digestive system.
There is no shortcut to losing weight
It might interest you to note that our weight can fluctuate up to 2kg in a day. I recently went for a medical check up. The difference in my weight from the night before to the next morning was a reduction of 1kg. Did I lose 1kg in the night just sleeping? Apparently so. I should sleep more LOL! 😀 But as you eat and drink water through the day, your weight will creep back. Is it a bad thing? No, it isn’t. It’s just you being human.
It might also interest you to know I do not own weighing scales. I don’t believe in weighing myself, and I never know my weight at any point in time. It doesn’t bother me. Not being able to zip up my skirt does LOL! 😀
When it comes to weight loss, know that there is NO short cut. If you want to lose weight, you just have to eat less, eat more healthy foods and exercise. The side effect of this is potentially better health. What we should be striving for is not to be thin, but to be healthy. What is far more important is to have a properly functioning body, and for that you need proper food and proper nutrition. Carbohydrates and fats are not all bad. You need carbs to have energy. From a beauty standpoint, you risk looking haggard and experience dry skin if you don’t have enough fats in your diet.
You also need fats to help you absorb vitamins and to keep warm and there is medical research to show that you need fats for your brain to properly function. What this says about those who block, liquify and soak up fats, I will not say 😛
I have far greater respect for someone who actually promotes a healthy lifestyle, with proper balanced meals, not crazy diets, and regular exercise. Food isn’t our enemy. Our mindset is. I don’t believe in depriving myself of the foods I enjoy. Perhaps I have better willpower than most, in that I can exercise control in what and how much I eat. But that, as with everything, comes with training and discipline. Nothing ever comes easy, and nothing is impossible with a little hard work and discipline. I’m not skinny, but I’m not obese and my latest medical check up showed I’m fine. I think that is most important 🙂
If you are an influencer and reading this and feel I’m being unfair to you, then maybe think about what you’ve been shilling and think about your responsibility to your followers. Do you truly, honestly, believe in what you’re saying? Will it endanger them? Will it make their life better? Or do you not care because you’re getting paid, and “no one trusts influencers anyway”. If you can live with yourself, then carry on.
But if you have a conscience, then rethink your choices, and think a little further than yourself. Eat a little fat, let your brain work a little. And then tell me if anyone at all has any business shilling dubious dietary supplements and appetite suppressants purely to lose weight, all in the name of beauty.
Your thoughts are welcomed.
Paris B
I agree with a lot of your comments. I also want to add that I think a reason that influencers are getting a lot of recent backlash on paid content is because a lot of readers / viewers saw bloggers / influencers as real people who are recommending real products. With celebrity advertising, you always kinda knew that it was fake and the celebrity is just paid to look good / recommend the product, but with influencers, it was *supposed* to be genuine. Well now it’s all out there that it’s also fake. Also there are still a ton of genuine bloggers out there who recommend products purely because they are good, and a lot of these bloggers (like MEEE) are getting very annoyed at being bunched into the same category as these influencers who basically only promote things they are paid to promote.
You are absolutely right Sheila. Bloggers and influencers started out as your everyday girl next door, who just happened to have a wide reach of social contacts. Then, this girl evolved into someone whose life became one you could not identify with, and then people stop believing. Also yes, it does sadden me that there are so many bloggers out there who genuinely love what they do, who still produce content, buy products, share their thoughts but receive the same side-eye. It’s terribly frustrating when you know that that person shilling that latest makeup palette/skincare product doesn’t really care about it. They just happened to be paid to talk about it 🙁
“I have maintained through the years that bloggers owe society a moral sense of responsibility.”
^ OMG YASSSS!!! They can argue all they want about people having the right to discern and not follow everything they say, but they do owe it to themselves and their followers to at least vet the product and not put their followers in danger! This does not only apply to influencers but also to dishonest people who peddle their dubious MLM wares (not saying that all MLM products are bad, but we all know a few duds here and there 😉 ). I’ve seen how these people liquefy the living daylights out of their pictures just to convince people that their slimming / beauty products actually work, or worse, prey on very sick people promising a cure and eternal life. I wish they had a conscience!
This is why I really enjoy reading your blog. You say things as they are and are not afraid to call people out of their bluff. I know I can count on you for an honest, intelligent review! 🙂
Exactly my point Jenn. The fact is that people are mostly sheep LOL! I admit to being that way sometimes, especially when a bunch of friends start raving about something. I just have to try it too! But with your friends, you know that they aren’t out to scam your money, but you can’t say that about online advertising. Because that’s what influencers really are – an advertising platform. The sooner people realise this, the quicker they’ll learn not to be so trusting. I just came across not only MLM but very popular influencers shilling the online store that makes copycat bags of famous and trendy designs. It makes me mad! But thank you for trusting me. I’ll be sure not to abuse that trust 🙂
But hey! it’s a miracle product..no?
Well ,with that said, I have to agree that many ‘influencers’ of slimming products are already slim to begin with, so it seems like total nonsense to me. However, they still get buy in because even people know that slimming is not overnight, but they still hoping for the ONE miracle. Hence these products still sell.
Yup all because of the perception that thin = beautiful. When will people learn that isn’t the case? I have seen some people who are so thin to the point of being skeletal. You can’t tell me that’s healthy!
I clicked in because I was curious to see what else people could be lambasting about influencers (LOL) but this turned out to be a much better read than I had expected.
I’ve seen a lot of influencers who peddle supplements (diet, hair, wtv else) but I highly doubt they even consume any of these. What is even worse is that a lot of young girls are actually ‘influenced’, don’t really go and research on what these supplements do, and buy them to try because they want to be beautiful too.
I’m against influencers selling things that they have personally never tried, and I do think the industry is lacking ethics in this area. Thanks for highlighting this, I hope more people read your article and give more thought to this 🙂
Hi Vivian, thank you for sharing your thoughts and for enjoying the post 🙂 And you are right that few people who actually peddle slimming or MLM products actually consume it. In fact, I’ve also been told that these sponsored products are often sold on the black market. This is especially so of beauty products. I do feel that ethics is something that is very much lacking in this field. I don’t know if it’s to do with the way kids are brought up today, or their perceptions of what is ethical, based on what they perceive from celebrities and reality TV stars.
First and foremost, thank you for the shout out! 🙂 Word spaghetti indeed! Your assessment of this situation is totally spot-on – it’s unethical, it’s dishonest, it’s dangerous, and it’s downright predatory of “influencers” to peddle this stuff with totally unproven claims.
Second, I applaud what you’ve always done with your platform to reach your readers, which is to speak the truth. Thank you for doing the same thing here, and for contributing to this important conversation about social norms and expectations about beauty, bodies, etc. Malaysia is a tough place in terms of social pressure and bodily judgment – more than one auntie with no filter told me in the locker room of my gym that I was “chubby” and that I should try this and that magic potion to lose weight. The U.S. isn’t much different, but people just often do the judging after the person walks away or behind their back. Lol. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I know it’s not easy to resist the pressure to look a certain way when social norms are constantly perpetuating certain images of beauty or what bodies should look like – but it really doesn’t help when there are charlatans out there peddling this crap. Thank you for using your reach online and on social media for calling it out for what it is!
Yes! I loved that combination of words – word spaghetti haha! 😀 I don’t know if its a Malaysian thing or just an Asian thing for people to comment on your weight right to your face. Especially among relatives, the first thing anyone says is “Eh, you have put on weight” And yes, people are judged as well. For the record you aren’t chubby at all! Goodness! But here in Asia, anything larger than a size S is chubby 😛 I have noticed an increased acceptance of plus-sized KOLs and personalities in the West. I think it is important not to glorify either being thin or being fat, but to be healthy. That too seems to come with its problems of people being over-zealous and being overly critical about what others eat or don’t eat. Sometimes, we all need to take a chill pill, use our heads a little and in the case of influeners, try not to kill anyone while doing the influencing 😛
I dont follow these young influencers(in their 20s) for that reason. They are in their 20s, of course it is very easy to stay slim. I ate all day and dont gain an ounce when I’m at that age LOL… But then again, I only follow makeup influencers so that I can see new products and swatches and read reviews
The worrying thing Peggy is that these 20-something influencers will have influenced a whole generation of young people who perceive this to be the norm. And they’ll grow up to be the 30, 40-somethings with this same mindset. That is what scares me! I don’t follow these influencers either, but they keep creeping into my feed! LOL!
I’ve never really liked the term ‘influencer’ even though I run a blog. I’m one of them who would roll my eyes when I see such a term. It’s sometimes amusing when I see one-sided recommendation being peddled out when it’s obvious these influencers didn’t test or try the product at all. I wonder who coined this term but it sure sounds like a position name similar to ‘salesmen’. As a consumer, do I want to be influenced by someone who works as a salesman?
Now it brings me to the next point – cheating. Sometimes, I see an influencer with more than 10k followers, but only a couple of posts in his archive. Or read garbage comments in her post, some in foreign language that even the influencer herself didn’t understand but bothered to reply (or required to reply due to some reciprocating arrangement). It’s obvious to me that there’re sham activities going on. Who are they cheating? Advertisers. Advertisers have to pay inflated fees for less than sincere followers, or followers who aren’t even human.
The last point – have we seen well-known figures or notable leaders calling themselves influencers? Like Warren Buffett, Jack Ma or even well-known celebrities like Madonna or Brad Pitt? They are extremely influential. I think someone who are truly influential would not need to be known as one. The opposite may be true too. 🙂
Same with you Nicole. I don’t deem myself an influencer and in fact, I hate that term LOL! I much prefer telling people I’m a blogger. I can’t possibly tell people I’m an influencer without sounding like a pompous ass 😀 But yes you have a good point. Most profiles of famous and popular influencers are just advertising platforms. I would be fine to an extent, if they were more genuine. To maybe answer questions about the products, and not plaster their faces everywhere, relegating the product to a tiny corner of the picture. I don’t understand that sort of advertising and why brands even allow it. If I had a brand, damn right I want it front and centre of every picture! 😛
I’m also fine with those making money out of their accounts (I do grow mine with a business mindset too). But I think it has to be responsibly and ethically done, i.e. to add value to both readers and advertisers. Not benefiting one by sacrificing the other all the time.
Maybe we are just old-fashioned. LOL! 🙂
I think the plastering of faces is them trying to endorse the product. Companies may be okay if the influencer is very popular.
Nothing wrong with making money, so long as it’s clear, responsible and ethical. The problem is that the latter 2 qualities are often lacking today, which makes me question the personal integrity of many youths of today. It makes me sound like a crotchety old grandma, but there you go! LOL
Ah, don’t even get me started, Paris. When I think influencers, I think little girls who want to earn money. That’s it. Just an empty shell with a pretty face and body. I’m completely stereotyping them, of course, but what to do? That’s the image a majority of them project. Then, companies and brands think numbers are everything. Just spread the good word and create awareness. Just throw it out there, and someone will bite.
Who needs a voice, Paris? What honesty? Readers want that. Some brands might be ethical enough to care about that, but to sell an average product, it needs hype. Unfortunate but true. A truly good product will sell itself. ‘Influencers’ have a responsibility, but readers have to mindful too. If they’re too gullible then who’s really to blame, right?
The way I worded it sounds very harsh but my inner bitch is taking over today. I blame PMS. Good for you to bring up this topic… and to actually put up her face here. Hahahaha!! I don’t know who she is either but now I know she’s someone who can’t put up a proper caption and one who cares nothing about integrity.
Sadly yes, influencers do strike me as little money grubbing girls (and boys). Which is a terrible stereotype I know, but most of them do project themselves that way. I have met a few and it’s just so hard to even talk to any of them because there’s nothing they can talk about. But hey, a pretty face and hot body plus a willingness to put themselves out there sells 😉 The sad thing is that authenticity is not appreciated and neither is honesty. Honesty in fact, as I can attest, gets you into all sorts of blacklists LOL! But that’s the way the world turns today. We probably sound bitter to the sweet young things, but I think that’s what growing up does to you 😉
Very well written. I follow quite a number of influencers and they mostly sell crap. Which I suspect they don’t use. And of course, most of them are freeloaders too!
Thank you Wei Ling 🙂 The unfortunate side to this new form of advertising is unfortunately, the crap that gets peddled. I suppose it’s true of all advertising businesses – we have to sift the crap from the gems. The unfortunate part is that those peddling things don’t!
I totally agree with you too. Credibility of reviews on social media nowadays is highly questionable, I feel. I’m grateful that you’re still one of the more honest bloggers (or influencers) around. I can read your blog rest assured that every word is in fact how you really feel about said topic.
Just to share another thought, I’ve visited a lot of blogs with a long write up of a product. You’d think that’d be good except for the fact that more than half of the write up is basically a spew of the product description from the website (and sometimes the inci to pad it further) and the actual review could be a mere 2-3 sentences of pretty general things along the lines of “i enjoy using it”, “i would definitely go for the full size”, “ooooh i love the scent”, etc but without much specifics. You get my drift. What irks me more is that this is then followed by an affiliate link. And most of the times, the products they are “reviewing” is on the midrange to high end pricing. I get that everyone’s trying to make a living but sometimes it feels just downright unethical. Ok, rant over. (:
Thank you for the trust and affirmation Kate 🙂 I do wish that the approach I’ve chosen to take is the norm rather than the exception, because that would make things so much better for us all! And I also feel you about the regurgitation of press releases or website information. Sometimes, I think it is to do with the author’s lack of confidence maybe, to address a topic. But the thing that people forget is that you don’t need to be longwinded and write a 1000 word essay (like I do! LOL!) because sometimes, short pieces are enough to get the message across. But yes,a little more detail, or a little more thought is always beneficial especially when it’s something pricey. I always feel bad about telling people about nice but expensive products, because I know not everyone can afford it. So a little more thought before pushing people to buy buy! from their affiliate links no less! is always a good thing 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
“Eat a little fat, let your brain work a little. And then tell me if anyone at all has any business shilling dubious dietary supplements and appetite suppressants purely to lose weight, all in the name of beauty.”
LOL I LOVE this Paris! Esp the eat a little fat part! Most people don’t realise most vitamins and minerals are fat soluble, so that means that for your body to absorb them, you NEED fats!
On another point, it is so so irresponsible. How ironic that she’s removed the post now, but has said nothing. Instagram makes life look easy. That’s the lie I think everyone is peddling. Looking ‘beautiful’ is easy. Being ‘thin’ is easy’. Being ‘wealthy’ is easy. Even that travelling is easy and always fun. Oh ye, and that these are the most important things in life *rolls eyes into the back of my head*…
Haha I’m happy you got that reference, Sylvia! I am 100% with you on the fat bit. I’m really tired of the villification of fat. Granted, not all fats are good, but heck, a little bad fats now and again aren’t necessarily bad either! The problem I find boils down to lack of self-discipline to ensure you spread your unhealthy eating out. I’m not the most disciplined eater, but my body knows when I’ve overdone the deepfried bad stuff, and needs to fill up on fresh greens!
I was quite shocked when I was told the post had been removed from her instagram account. I didn’t think she or anyone related to her would have come across my rant LOL! We don’t move in the same circles, and I’m hardly that influential as she is 😀 But that said, I’m glad it’s gone too. It did not deserve to be up at all!
Well written. Especially when the target market is teenager, who is still looking for their own identity, feeling insecure bout their body… and bam come some influencer who say you can lose weight by taking some pills before meal… these influencers r sickening
Thank you Diana. I do think some of these people don’t think about the effects their posts can have on their followers, which is what I find most disturbing. If they had given it a little thought, and been a little more responsible, imagine the good they can do!