Social influencers and the impact of technology

Buried among the throngs of Instagram accounts and users is a little known, invitation-only account called “Influencers in the Wild.” Ostensibly a simple parody page, its posts consist of photos and videos taken of influencers in the process of creating content for their influencer pages. Yet, it doesn’t take a long scroll to get a sense of how the source of humor lies in the process it takes to create content in the visual language of Instagram: short, often looped micro-clips of video, usually zoomed in so far as to eliminate any context, and all about glamour over depth. A sleek shot of a teenager’s designer handbag while she struts by a coffee shop looks entirely more comical when you observe the whole scene of the camera operator doggedly following the teenager, kneeling or bending down to track the handbag while she walks in a stiff gait that is fully tailored to maximizing the angle for the camera.

Many of us have heard of so-called social media “influencers,” perhaps as a nebulous millenial concept, or a by-product of the modern technological age. Influencers are the marketing term for people who have gained enough of a following on one or more social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) to be seen as viable marketing channels. If you have a brand-new line of hair-care products that you want people to learn about, you might send a sample or even cut a formal marketing deal with an influencer who will create a post or video about it for all their throngs of followers to see and learn. Whereas previously marketers were limited to working with celebrities for endorsements, influencers can target much more specific audiences for less cost than a Hollywood superstar.

One way or another, we have all experienced the impact of technological developments on the world of marketing, and how this impacts daily life in the United States. Those of us who spend more time on the Web than on cable TV may be more acutely aware of the ads that seem to follow us no matter where we point our browsers to, only two days after making a purchase on an unrelated site: signs of retargeting and other forms of Web behavior-based online targeting. Anecdotes abound about young couples being targeted for diapers before either finds out that they are in fact about to become parents, as their browsing habits shift in subtle ways that, as marketers have come to learn, correlate with pregnancy.

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Fame: The Hijacking of Reality by Justine Bateman

Synopsis: Entertainment shows, magazines, websites, and other channels continuously report the latest sightings, heartbreaks, and triumphs of the famous to a seemingly insatiable public. Millions of people go to enormous lengths to achieve fame. Fame is woven into our lives in ways that may have been unimaginable in years past.

And yet, is fame even real? Contrary to tangible realities, fame is one of those “realities” that we, as a society, have made. Why is that and what is it about fame that drives us to spend so much time, money, and focus to create the framework that maintains its health?

Mining decades of experience, writer, director, producer, and actress Justine Bateman writes a visceral, intimate look at the experience of fame. Combining the internal reality-shift of the famous, theories on the public's behavior at each stage of a famous person’s career, and the experiences of other famous performers, Bateman takes the reader inside and outside the emotions of fame. The book includes twenty-four color photographs to highlight her analysis.

Religious influencers add to the merging of two seemingly antithetical aspects of modern life—religion and social media

By ARNOLD SCHUCHTER, St. James Faith Lab Tech Editor

For years, celebrity entertainers have been communicating their versions of Christianity that appeal to people in various generations looking for faith that is personally, socially and culturally relevant. A large number of celebrities and religious influencers have gained followers by vocalizing their religious faith in religious and pseudo-religious events oriented around music performances. Using social media multiplied their audiences by amplifying their messages that creatively and personally depict the role of faith in their lives. The content of these performances has been especially popular with young adult,s who find that it reflects the experiences of their lives.  

Examples of religious influencers combining worship with inspiring music and songs are abundant, but several stand out. For example, more than two years ago, rapper, singer, and producer Kanye West brought his “Sunday Service” to the mainstream Coachella Music Festival. The service offered gospel renditions of West’s religiously inspired songs. West used Twitter to announce that his service would take place on Easter Sunday. Announcements included the sale of clothing with slogans like “Trust God,” “Jesus Walks,” and “Holy Spirit.” Over 50,000 people were in attendance and more than 200,000 people live streamed the performance on YouTube.  

The power of celebrity influencers to convey religious faith using social media was illustrated even more so when Justin Bieber used Instagram to ask his 114 million followers to pray for him. His candor and open admission online that he was “struggling a lot” with his faith journey gained nearly 5 million likes from social media followers empathizing with his experience. Bieber was able to use social media to bring his followers with him on his difficult faith journey. His message of uncertain faith instantly reached millions of people around the globe with the touch of a button. His reach, and those of other celebrity religious influencers, was awesome since, according to Pew Research, as many as 90 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 use at least one form of social media.  

Thanks to the increasing reach and power of social media and the internet, religious influencers have been changing the religion game in the U.S. and probably elsewhere more broadly when it comes to how young adults are forming their religious and other values and beliefs. “Celebrity faith culture” and its religious influencers are not only raising awareness of religion by using social media but also, for many years, have been forcing religious figures themselves to join online conversations regarding faith. As Kanye West and other “religious Instagrammers” have proven, popularity on social media also opens up many business opportunities.  

In recent times we have seen religious influencers gain traction on TikTok. While TikTok is mostly known for short-form video clips featuring influencers engaged in viral dances, comedy skits, or offering beauty advice, clearly religious influencers also have also turned the platform into a way to spread the Gospel. Where its religious influencing goes from here on social media is only a matter of speculation as more and more young people and others look for a sense of meaning and connection in life. 

It could be argued that the 21st century is seeing the merging of two seemingly antithetical aspects of modern life—religion and social media. This potential merging is fed by the civic disruption and societal unease that enable religious movements to use social media to spread their influences widely in relatively short periods of time. Like religion, social influencers and micro-social influencers can build community in the context of society’s increasing fragmentation and controversy. In contrast to increasingly harsh conflicts within communities, religious influencers can speak to their online flocks directly in friendly, soothing, inclusive ways. It’s something for the Church to think about in the years to come.