Social Media Marketing: Influencers

Social influencers are extending their reach in American society, filling roles ranging from entrepreneur to muse to thought leader. They are posting on Instagram and other social media to promote products — and to spur conversations on everything from the Black Lives Matter movement to fashion. The influencer industry is seeing explosive growth and is expected to be worth nearly $15 billion by 2022, while top influencers with followings of 1 million or more can receive $250,000 per post. But critics say the industry faces numerous challenges, including its reliance on algorithms, which can perpetuate bias; skepticism about corporations' commitment to racial and cultural diversity in a moment of racial reckoning; and ethical issues resulting from some influencers inflating the number of their followers. One study found that influencers' use of fake followers cost brands $1.3 billion in 2019. Some influencers, in turn, complain that companies are exploiting them and censoring their postings while micromanaging their activities. Many are unionizing.

Distrust of government and scientific experts has taken disturbing forms recently — from the violent attack on the Capitol by a mob that refused to believe election results, to conspiracy theories about the supposed dangers of vaccines. A society that does not believe the same set of facts cannot hold together, some experts warn. If more people are not persuaded to trust the coronavirus vaccine, the nation might not be able to achieve the “herd immunity” needed to stop the pandemic. Some blame social media and echo chambers of like-minded users. Others point to populism and its disdain for elites. Yet mistrust of the establishment has also been positive — leading to movements for social change in fields ranging from medicine to environmental protection. Americans have long been pulled between suspicion of experts, when it comes to regulatory controversies that threaten their values, and confidence in the technology upon which they depend. In recent decades, trust in scientists has fallen among conservatives, while liberals still rate scientists highly.