Friend or foe: The rise of the social media influencer

In today’s episode we speak with Emily Hund, author of The Influencer Industry: The Quest for Authenticity on Social Media, about the evolution of social media influencers and how disparate events like rapid advances in technology and the decline of traditional news outlets have boosted their prevalence and impact since their emergence during the Great Recession.

These authentic-seeming people whose lives unfold online provide advice many social media users have come to follow as closely as they would that of a trusted friend. And yet, many of them aren't credentialed or especially qualified to provide even the most basic of recommendations.

"Their expertise is their authenticity," said Hund. "So that's what this all really comes down to. It's the thing that keeps this industry growing and thriving and changing. These people are able to construct their public personas as someone who's credible, someone who's believable because they're authentic."

Hund is also a research affiliate at the center on Digital Culture at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. Tune in to hear her insights about how influencers came to dominate our social media feeds and how much we can trust the authenticity they’ve staked their livelihoods on.

Is that a fact? is a production of the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit building a national movement to create a more news-literate America. Our host is Darragh Worland, our producer is Mike Webb, our editor is Timothy Kramer, and our theme music is by Eryn Busch.