I do get concerned when I hear people say things like “...but it doesn't hurt anyone.” I find it concerning to hear people make such statements because from my understanding and observations of scenarios where these statements are uttered by people, they're not actually harmless as claimed. Though not in the way we normally see or would expect hurt or harm to look like, such statements are proof of a subtle and low-key kind of hurt or harm.
Perhaps, it's just a defensive statement. It could seem on a shallow view, but a deeper look will reveal the hidden destruction. This is found actively in the choice of fake over real. Some things we have, some things we don't. Some of that which we don't have, we can get through dedicated effort and needed resources. Some of that which we don't have, we can't get, especially when it involves some of our physical outlook or things beyond our control.
I guess I'm wrong about that. Haven't we seen people fake the very things they know they don't have and can't have? Or that which they could get through dedicated effort but aren't willing to pay the price? The latter is what I'll be considering in this discourse. It's obviously clear that the alternative many choose is the ‘fake it’ route, thus the popular statement, “Fake it till you make it.” Let's dive into this in respect to the online world and influencing.
In an age and time where content creation seems to be the norm, and livelihoods and personalities are built around influencer roles, people have sought a way to make it by faking it. What does that mean? To be an influencer, one has to be a creator in a niche or more and gain visibility in the online space. This doesn't just happen overnight. It takes time and effort to gain many followers, have large visibility and build that account, which isn't easy.
So, many have taken the easy way out of this opportunity. They use bots to do a lot, from fake followers, to fake streams, likes, views and visibility as a whole. And this is where the moral justification could be that, it doesn't hurt anyone. But is it really so? As I said, this statement is a concerning one for me, and in many cases it proves to be so. It's hurting and affecting others in several and diverse ways; from influencers to viewers and brands.
First thing to note is, if it's fake then it's misleading. Such people are misleading genuine users into thinking they're credible, and so adding to their followership which is largely fake. But that's not even the big deal. It's much more of a problem when brands begin to reach out to such accounts for adverts and promotions of their goods and services. The brands would end up spending huge money; usually demanded by influencers, but they don't get results out of it.
Also, genuine influencers are affected; those who struggled to grow their accounts organically, with true and credible metrics, be it likes, followers, views and visibility. It leaves them sharing these opportunities with fakely grown accounts, thus affecting their chances. What's more painful is that the fake ones tend to be the lucky ones at times. I'll say that brands should be careful and do their due research before choosing influencers. And, why fake it when you can grow it?
Image is AI generated.
