A Wren Says

I’ve gone on so many rants, written and said aloud, about how I feel about the cameras. My deepest fear these days is ending up in the background of someone’s social media content, going viral for something embarrassing. A close second is having to fight my way out of a street interview. I am not a fan of all of the public filming going on right now. And it seems like I’m not the only one.

In an article in Vogue Business, Amy O’Brien outline the growing backlash to influencer culture. More specifically, it’s the growing distaste of the idea that at any point you could become someone’s content. In an age of ever-growing surveillance, people want more privacy. And brands have taken notice of that.

If an influencer goes viral for how she’s treating her “background characters” while promoting your brand, that’s not a good look for you. Nor do you want your customers feeling uncomfortable while shopping, because they’re afraid of ending up on camera.

It is an interesting time we’re in, where brands have to toe the line between wanting influencer content to boost their awareness and needing to steer clear of the backlash. I wonder if I will notice this shift in how the influencers I watch film their brand deals. I sincerely hope this means we’re moving closer to a world where there are fewer cameras to dodge, everywhere you turn.

Read the article here:

The Meaning of Consent in the Age of Content, by Amy O’Brien