Influencers face backlash for promoting undisclosed affiliate links, causing a loss of trust and credibility.
Rising AI integration leads to fake positive reviews, blurring the line between authentic and AI-generated content.
High-profile influencers endorsing sketchy brands like Kenza Cosmetics highlight the importance of transparency and credibility in endorsements.
Deep dives
Influencer Marketing and Fake Reviews
As influencer marketing became prevalent, trust eroded due to undisclosed affiliate links and unclear disclosures. OG creators faced criticism for lack of transparency. This led to audience resentment towards influencers, impacting their credibility, especially in beauty reviews. As viewers sought crowdsource info, fake reviews remained problematic, raising skepticism towards influencer content.
AI, Misinformation, and Digital Scams
Rising AI integration enables bots to flood platforms with fake positive reviews, blurring the line between authentic and AI-generated content. This undermines consumer trust and leads to potential harm from purchasing counterfeit products. The convergence of AI and influencer skepticism paves the way for evolving forms of digital scams.
Promoting Scams and Influencer Responsibility
High-profile influencers like Tana Mojo and Gabby Hanna promoted Kenza Cosmetics, offering free brushes for $10 shipping, which drew skepticism. Drama ensued as customers reported non-delivery, dubbing the company as sketchy. This incident highlighted the influencers' responsibility in promoting credible brands and maintaining transparency to avoid endorsing potential scams.
Scamming Influencers in the Content Creation World
Influencers like Jake Paul and Ricegum faced backlash for promoting an online gambling platform where users pay for mystery boxes with hopes of winning luxury items. This unethical promotion targeted their predominantly young fan bases, sparking controversy over promoting gambling to vulnerable audiences. The allure of large sums of money led influencers to make questionable decisions, showcasing the risks involved in prioritizing profit over ethical considerations.
The Rise of Trendy Influencer Scams
The emergence of harmful influencer scams like cryptocurrency pump and dump schemes reflects a disturbing trend where influencers deceive followers for personal gain. Promoting these schemes, influencers manipulated social media to drive up cryptocurrency values, profiting at the expense of their followers who incurred financial losses. Legal repercussions and public backlash have exposed the unethical practices of influencers who prioritize immediate profits over the well-being of their audiences.
In this week's episode, I explore some of the most popular ways in which influencers scam their audiences with TikTok star Meredith Lynch! Meredith and I dive into some notable examples, such as fake followers and reviews, crypto pump-and-dump promos, Instagram giveaways, affiliate marketing undisclosure, TikTok Shop, Master Resell Rights (a new MLM-esque scheme), and more.
