Influencers and celebrity culture

Influencers and celebrity culture

Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine 72 has a feature linking YouTube influencers to A Level media theories. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM72 and scroll to page 60 to read the article ‘The theory of everything - using YouTubers to understand media theory’. Answer the following questions:

1) How has YouTube "democratised media creativity"?

The YouTube platform has democratised media creativity, with ordinary users uploading their own content: they are ‘producers’ (producer-users) and ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers). Content is published first and then filtered or judged later by audiences. 

2) How does YouTube and social media culture act as a form of cultural imperialism or 'Americanisation'?

Not all famous YouTubers, like Emma Chamberlain, are American but Americans certainly make up the majority. The universality of the English language undoubtedly plays an important part here. We could argue that YouTube influencers encourage the spread of US cultural references, language and attitudes.

3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies?

Most globally popular YouTubers also promote materialism and consumption. Once they become successful, YouTube stars are often sponsored by commercial companies and become

endorsers of products. Their posts illustrate the commercialisation or commodification of entertainment which, although in some ways more honest and explicitly done than the subtle product placement of the past, still channels audiences into conformist ways of thinking and behaving, encouraging them to buy products and aspire towards material improvement.

4) How can YouTube and social media celebrity content be read as postmodern, an example of hyperreality?

The vlog is a highly self-reflective media form. This postmodern self- consciousness involves breaking the fourth wall by revealing the ‘nuts and bolts’ of video shooting and editing.

5) What are the arguments for and against regulating online content such as YouTube?
For:

• The content of viral video clips is often subversive, the mode of address is informal. This raises the question of age suitability and availability to younger audiences. It is difficult to restrict access to such sites to younger children who may be more impressionable and less able to distance themselves critically and emotionally from what they are viewing.
• The recommendation algorithms on YouTube act as bread crumb trails to videos that promote extreme ideologies. For example, the gaming blogger PewDiePie, with 103 million subscribers, has been accused of disseminating anti-Semitic, alt-right messages, recommending channels and video essays that might lead unsuspecting fans into dark and disturbing places.

Against:

• While to some, the idea of regulating YouTube seems like unnecessary ‘censorship’, many others argue that platforms have to take responsibility for protecting their users.

6) How can Hesmondhalgh and Curran & Seaton's ideas be linked to online media debates?

So, this supports the ideas of both David Hesmondhalgh and Curran and Seaton that the cultural industries are driven by corporate power and the pursuit of profit. When enormous conglomerates, like Google and Facebook buy up platforms and apps that were previously their competitors, they become leaders in the market and leave little room for independence, individualism and democracy.

7) How can Gauntlett's ideas around identity and audience be applied to YouTube and influencer content?

David Gauntlett asserts that online media encourages ordinary users to experiment with other personas, projecting identity as multiple and fluid. There are many and varied YouTubers to choose from, allowing audiences to see different ways of being and different points of view. The attraction of many YouTubers to younger audiences is that they see themselves reflected in their YouTube heroes.

8) What is YOUR opinion on celebrity influencers? Are they a positive, democratic addition to the contemporary media landscape or a highly constructed product promoting hegemonic capitalist ideologies?
Celebrity users frequently rely on their intended content and how they present themselves authentically. Positively, it can be seen in their consideration for younger customers by determining what content on social media platforms would be appropriate for them to watch and learn while simultaneously making money off of it. Nonetheless, the majority is observed endorsing this capitalist worldview by placing sponsorships at risk in order to profit financially. Although they are conscious of their audience and fan base, they nevertheless decide to endorse inappropriate products in order to increase views. Younger customers are particularly at risk from this, given their current dominance on social media, which makes it easy for their impressionable self to fall for this fraud.

How to build a social media brand: case study

Read this excellent case study on how to build a celebrity social media brand and answer the following questions:

1) What are the different ways celebrities manage their social media accounts? Give examples.
Although some celebrity social media accounts might seem like random musings and updates, others are centered around specific promotions, shout-outs and announcements. An example is when Harry Styles wrote tweets himself whereas another is clearly a promotion written by a manager or account controller.

2) Why is 'voice' important in celebrity social media content and what examples are provided?
Much like a distinct brand voice helps companies stand out from the crowd, the same can be said for the tone and personality of a celebrity on social media. Chrissy Teigen might be the best example of someone with a distinct, consistent social brand. Teigen’s off-the-cuff and often humorous tweets often don’t feel like they were written by a celebrity at all. Her human approach to social has made her all the more endearing and relatable to her millions of followers.

3) What different goals may celebrities have for their social media accounts?
Brands are seen to have different goals and audiences. The goals are determined from face to face conversations with their social manager and how they want their account handled. This includes how artists want day-to-day posts and content whereas some prefer the social team to dive in and assist with copy and branding.

4) What types of content can be found from celebrity social media posts?
The type of content that can be found is:

• News, updates and hype posts= day-to-day updates and big announcements.
• Behind-the-scenes content= peeks of their latest projects.
• “Slice of life” content= see what they’re “really” like.
• “Celebrity” snapshots= lives for their good life
• Heart warming and inspirational content= personality and human side.

5) How does social media allow influencers to interact with fans? Give examples.

Their are many platforms for these celebrities to interact with fans. This can include liking posts or even tweeting or even asking questions. An example is Keith Habersberger who asked fans to not only come to his show but recommendations on meals and night activities.

Guardian article: Social media harming young people

Finally, read this Guardian article reporting that social media and celebrity culture is harming young people. Answer the following questions:


1) What did the YMCA's report suggest about social media content and celebrity culture?

Airbrushed photographs of celebrities with perfectly preened bodies staged in exotic locations are all over social media, but such flawless images have been described as damaging for the way they pressurise young people to meet unobtainable body-image standards.

2) What examples are provided of how this can have a damaging effect on young people?

• Most children own a smartphone by the age of 10, and this has in turn led to increasing pressure on youngsters to look perfect in their online lives, a study has found.
• YMCA spoke to more than 1,000 young people aged between 11 and 16. They found that 62% of 15 to 16-year-olds felt that social media had ramped up expectations over their personal appearance.
• Photoshopped images and the sharing of only the most flattering shots shifted young people’s understanding of what a normal body looked like, the charity said.
• Social media was already a concern among 11 to 12-year-olds, with 43% of those surveyed claiming individuals they saw on online influenced them.
• “There is a growing crisis in children and young people’s mental health, and in particular a gathering crisis in mental distress and depression among girls and young women.”
• Social media such as Snapchat and Instagram “can be damaging and even destructive” to girls’ mental wellbeing. “There’s a pressure for young people to be involved 24/7 and keep up with their peer group or they will be left out and socially excluded.”
• Social media use has also contributed to a increasing sleep deprivation among young people, which could both be a symptom of mental illness and also raise the risk of it developing.

3) What is YOUR opinion on this topic? Do you feel social media is dangerous to young people? Should age restrictions be enforced? Explain your answer.

In my opinion, I think social media is dangerous to young people as many of them get influenced by popular celebrities by thinking they have to look a certain way/ looking the same as them. With the statistics above, this evidently shows how it ruins a young person's mental health. Some children easily get intrigued by watching Youtubers play and advertise dodgy games, which leads them to also purchase products from the game, not knowing it's a scam. Age restrictions should be enforced to limit exposure of children and young teens viewing dangerous and inappropriate content online.