Influencers and celebrity culture: blog tasks

 1) 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"?

YouTube "democrised media creativity" with ordinary users uploading their own content: they are ‘produsers’ (producer-users) and ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers).

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

YouTube and social media culture acts as a form of cultural imperialism or 'Americanisation' due to it allowing people from around the world to gain interconnectedness through the development of technologies. This leads to people using both platfroms to expose their culture, where most people who are becoming famous on social media are the Americans, gaining other people's interests from around the world and eventually copying them.

3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies? 

Influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies through influencers getting invited to promote products to gain consumerism, leading for the capitalist to gain profit as well as the idea of globalisation. 

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

Because YouTube and social media celebrity content allows people, especially influencers, to pick how they portray themselves on screen, where other people are watching. The audiences wouldn't know if the celebrities that they are watching do have that exact personality or if it's just a faccade to gain more fans and to gain attention for everyone to like. 

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

An argument for for is the idea that it will be able to protect children or anyone from disturbing websites that could affect their mindset. However, not regulating online content could lead to harm for younger children who are naive to what they should and shouldn't watch such as Bandura's research, where it showed children immitating what they see on screen. 

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

Hesmondhalgh and Curran & Seaton's ideas can be linked to online media debates through the idea that cultural industries are controlled by corporate power and pursuit of profit such as when conglomerates buy other platforms and apps which they compete with, they become leaders and have more profit. 

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

Gauntlett's ideas can be applied to YouTube and influencer content as it allows people who uses the platform to personally identify themselves with who they are watching, allowing the audiences to think about the personality they want to portray, where they can pick and mix their own character.

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?   

My opinion is that it depends on which influencer we are talking about as some influencers do have that desire to have a positive impact to their audience and motivate them somehow. But, other influencers do use their title as being an influencer to gain audience through a faccade which could further lead to them being used for promotions of materialism to benefit the hegemonic capitalist ideologies.

2) 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. 

Through social media managers, where they post promotions, shout-outs and business related stuff. For example, Harry Styles posted a tweet about tacos which was simple while their social media manager posted a tweet about a tour which had dates, links and a poster. 

2) Why is 'voice' important in celebrity social media content and what examples are provided? 

'Voice' is important in celebrity social media content to grab people's attention and to also gain the audience's interest. For example, Teigen's humorous tweets where it comes out as endearing and relatable to the audiences. 

3) What different goals may celebrities have for their social media accounts? 

The different goals taht celebrities may have could be to make sure we get the best results and stay consistent with the artist’s voice. Also, some artists are very hands-on with 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 different contents that can be founf from celebrity social media posts are:

-to build hype for their audience

-to give a 'behind-the-scenes' of what the project they have been working on

-to give the audiences an idea on what they're real personality is

-to give a heartwarming and inspirational content 

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

Social media influencers interact with their fans through liking, re-tweeting and commenting such as asking about a restaurant or book recommendation. 

3) 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?  

The YMCA suggests that more than half of the 1000 young people that they spoke to felt that social media had higher expectations when it comes to their physical appearance. Also, that most of the expectations come from the celebrity culture. 

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

A damaging effect on young people is their mental health, especially them having to think about how they will appear to other people and trying to reach that high standard. 

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. 

My opinion is that, yes, social media is dangerous to young people as it influences them to change their mindset and to take in things unconsciously that may have an impact on how they portray themselves. I also think that age restrictions should be enforced as it will help separate the youth content to the adult content, to gain that boundary as children are slowly gaining access to everything, especially because they are growing up with technology slowy improving.