How highly sexualised imagery is shaping ‘influence’ on Instagram – and harassment is rife
Instagram influencers are increasingly using sexualised images to build their personal brands, and this is being accompanied by more and more sexual harassment, write Jenna Drenten, Lauren Gurrieri and Megan Tyler in this cross-posting from The Conversation.
Australians are some of the most active social media users in the world and Instagram is particularly popular. One in three of us have an account, with more than 9,000,000 monthly active users. The rise of Instagram reflects our increasingly visual culture, with 45% of Australians having taken a selfie and uploaded it to social media.
But Instagram isn’t just a place for personal photos, it’s big business. The platform is the birthplace and breeding ground of influencer marketing: a relatively new, multi-billion dollar industry, projected to grow from US$6 billion in 2018 to US$10 billion in 2020.
Tis a very interesting subject and something that we will look back on in 10 years time and understand whether it worked or not? Sex sells; always has done. Suddenly there is a long tail of faces vs Cindy Crawford, Sarah Jessica Parker and some b grade chat show host from Channel 9…
Anyone can publish and you can be your own agent. Scary if you are dealing with the abuse yourself.
Wait until all these ‘influencers’ age in years to come!!! With their bodies not holding up as they used to and not as attractive anymore and what will they do as a ‘job’ then? I guess strike while the iron is hot.
I never thought that it would be a bonus to have a large derriere to sell anything from shampoo to shoes. There is a big gap between this and being a Victoria Secret model.
Whatever we aspire to, however we see ourselves, the vast majority of us are sexual beings. Most women, particularly young women, enjoy displaying their sexuality (in varying degrees) both for others and for themselves. This is not depravity or blatant soliciting, it is a natural as breathing, drinking, and eating.
Social media is a new toy, but it might also be called the invention of the devil, anyone may make a statement, post an image or a video, and instantly it is available to the world. The crude comments made (mainly by men) are a sad reflection upon the general education and etiquette of our society.
The generation of instant gratification – where you strive both personally and professionally on the number of “likes” and comments you receive.
What a time to be alive…
Lip fillers, butt implants, botox, breast enlargement, make-up caked on an inch thick…all before they’re 30 or 40! Talk about clones.
This appears not to be a representative set of influencers if the sample was taken from ‘shout out’ pages and many were then subsequently linking to porn sites!! Whilst this is a segment of the influencer population there are many other influencers who are working on having a unique aesthetic, opinion, showcasing their passion, their family, their slice of life etc. Brands should choose to work with influencers who represent similar values and if a brand chooses to work with an over sexualised profile then hopefully it’s the right fit but not for most brands.
Oh yeah, because men have never put their bodies on the line for the consumption desires of women……oh wait.