OSP: Influencers and celebrity culture blog tasks

 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"?

The YouTube platform has democratised media creativity with ordinary users uploading their own content: they are ‘produsers’ (producer-users) and ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers). Content is published first and then filtered or judged later by audiences. So, success is measured by the number of views and the reaction of the ‘fans’ rather than the judgement and financial power of an industry editor/producer.

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

Not all famous YouTubers, like Emma Chamberlain, are American but Americans certainly make up the majority. The universality of the English language undoubtedly plays an important part here. We could argue that YouTube influencers encourage the spread of US cultural references, language and attitudes. This form of globalisation implies a dominance of Western cultural attitudes (cultural hegemony).

3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies? 

Their posts illustrate the commercialisation or commodification of entertainment which, although in some ways more honest and explicitly done than the subtle product placement of the past, still channels audiences into conformist ways of thinking and behaving, encouraging them to buy products and aspire towards material improvement. This shows theme doing promotive content, in order to gain a profit, fitting into the ideologies of capitalism.

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

The vlog is a highly self-reflexive media form. This postmodern self- consciousness involves breaking the fourth wall by revealing the ‘nuts and bolts’ of video shooting and editing. Jean Baudrillard called these fake representations of reality ’hyperreality’.

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

The content of viral video clips is often subversive, the mode of address is informal. This raises the question of age suitability and availability to younger audiences. While to some, the idea of regulating YouTube seems like unnecessary ‘censorship’, many others

argue that platforms have to take responsibility for protecting their users.

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

The ideas of both David Hesmondhalgh and Curran and Seaton that the cultural industries are driven by corporate power and the pursuit of profit are shown when enormous conglomerates, like Google and Facebook buy up platforms and apps that were previously their competitors, they become leaders in the market and leave little room for independence, individualism and democracy.

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

David Gauntlett asserts that online media encourages ordinary users to experiment with other personas, projecting identity as multiple and fluid. There are many and varied YouTubers to choose from, allowing audiences to see different ways of being and different points of view. The attraction of many YouTubers to younger audiences is that they see themselves reflected in their YouTube heroes.

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?

I think celebrity influencers can be positive towards the media landscape but to an extent because they do promote some healthy messages that views may perceive as positive but they are mostly highly constructed products promoting capitalistic ideologies due to their brand deals and promotion as well as partnerships they may have that they showcase throughout their content, which just reinforces the business sector of their job rather than them being authentic creators.

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. 

Most celebs engage with social media but their accounts are controlled by their management teams. Although some celebrity social media accounts might seem like random musings and updates, others are centered around specific promotions, shout-outs and announcements. For example, it’s probably safe to say that this tweet from Harry Styles was actually written by Styles himself. "I pledge miniature tacos for all."

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

Chrissy Teigen might be the best example of someone with a distinct, consistent social brand. Teigen’s off-the-cuff and often humorous tweets often don’t feel like they were written by a celebrity at all. Her human approach to social has made her all the more endearing and relatable to her millions of followers. Meanwhile, someone like Mark Ruffalo adopts a more subtle tone while posting the sort of behind-the-scenes content we’d see from a celebrity account.

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

Some may want to promote their brand endorsements or even brands that they may own themselves and some may just want to look appealing for their audience or keep them engaged with content to maintain their popularity.

4) What types of content can be found from celebrity social media posts? 

News, updates, hype posts, behind the scenes content, "celebrity" snapshots, inspirational content etc.

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

Beyond likes and retweets, celebrities can drive engagement and interact with fans simply by asking questions. 

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 youth charity YMCA spoke to more than 1,000 young people aged between 11 and 16. They found that 62% of 15 to 16-year-olds felt that social media had ramped up expectations over their personal appearance. Photoshopped images and the sharing of only the most flattering shots shifted young people’s understanding of what a normal body looked like, the charity said. This is seen as harmful towards young children.

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

Increasing numbers of academic studies have found that mental health problems have soared among girls over the past decade, coinciding with the period in which young people’s use of social media has exploded. Social media use has also contributed to a increasing sleep deprivation among young people, which could both be a symptom of mental illness and also raise the risk of it developing, she added.

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. 

I think it is dangerous to young people but I also think young people especially below the age of 12 shouldn't be online on social media in the first place so yes there should be age restrictions set that those young children and their parents should abide by as the parents shouldn't allow their kids to be on social media at such a young age due to the harmful content involved.