Linked: Defining an Influencer

Via Monday Note:

How does an influencer-led model differ from a journalistic one?

• Revenue system: Commercial influencers derive their revenue from their relationship to brands, through sponsored posts or affiliated programs. In the first case, they get paid for their promotion of a product; in the second case, they collect a cut on the sales they help to generate. In the United States, an FTC regulation imposes a minimal disclosure of commercial endorsements. But as a generally accepted practice, the influencer never pays for a product they promote.
• Production process. Quantity and a lack of details rule the editorial process for influencers. Their priority is to churn out content as fast as they can to feed the click-machine and garner greater attention. By contrast, at least in theory, the process of writing a journalistic piece is supposed to be more rigorous, with a chain of production involving multiple layers of editors and sometimes fact-checkers, along with strict rules when it comes with dealing with brands.

This is the issue I have with influencers outweighing traditional journalism. Influencers are not held to a standard. They have good intentions but as soon as their ideals and image are monetized, how can you trust them? I fall into this category as well and I always disclose advertisers but there’s no way I can commit to zero bias when I’m paying my car loan with cash secured from car accessory companies.