Bad influence
With social media influencers growing in popularity and power, recognizing their flaws is more important than ever
Hallie Wiltshire / Asst. Opinion Editor
When the news first began reporting on COVID-19, no one could have predicted that almost a year later, the pandemic not only continues to persist but continues to worsen. San Diego remains in the purple tier with the virus still widespread. Cases continue to rise worldwide, with the U.S. at the top with almost 28 million cases and well over 400,000 deaths.
Despite this, some people are acting as if the pandemic is over. Social media influencers in particular continue to travel, often frequently, and shirk COVID-19 guidelines. This despicable behavior puts communities at unnecessary risk for contracting the virus, demonstrating the power imbalance between influencers and regular people.
Influencers have taken over the internet. The lavish lifestyle and sense of relatability draws viewers in. Social media influencers are arguably more effective at pushing products than celebrities, as their lives are viewed as more attainable than those of celebrities. Influencers sell more than just beauty products and clothes; they sell their lifestyle, beliefs, and values. Particularly for younger audiences, an influencer’s actions can shape their own. Although influencers may technically just be people, their platform and impact come with a great deal of responsibility.
A 2019 study found that children’s top career aspiration in the U.S. and U.K. was to become a professional YouTuber or vlogger, outranking both professional athlete and astronaut. For younger generations, being an influencer is just as respectable a job as those we traditionally view as heroes.
This level of power can set us on a dangerous path. If influencers behave poorly and engage in risky behavior while presenting it as fun and cool, their audiences are likely to mimic that behavior. During a global pandemic, such risky behavior is particularly dangerous, as actual lives are at stake.
Traveling, especially internationally, during a pandemic is completely unacceptable, particularly for a population of individuals who have the money and ability to work from home safely. Video, photo, and podcast creation and editing can be done from home. There is no excuse for traveling. All of it is superfluous and puts unnecessary strain on an already burdened healthcare system.
One of the most popular destinations for American influencers is Mexico. As beauty influencers prance across the beach in their bikinis, having native workers bring them cocktails, about 1,000 Mexican citizens die daily from COVID-19. According to Johns Hopkins’s mortality analyses, Mexico currently has the worst observed case-fatality ratio in the world at 8.6%. By comparison, the U.S. has an observed case-fatality ratio of 1.7% and most countries remain under 3%. As influencers fret over the prospect of spending their birthdays alone in their houses and turn to international travel as a remedy, people are dying.
It is true that influencers must continue a steady stream of content in order to maintain their livelihood, but safe content sans travel is possible. Hanging out with large groups of people under the guise of “collaboration” is also inappropriate. Influencers can adapt just like the rest of us who have found new virtual ways to meet with others. The pandemic will not end until everyone does their part, and influencers are currently failing to do theirs.
We must stop seeing influencers as superhuman. Viewers put too much power into their hands. They see themselves as superior to us, and it’s this mentality that allows them to justify risky behavior and think that the rules do not apply to them. Influencers are just people who have flaws and their desires do not trump those of “regular” people. If an influencer is acting poorly and putting lives at risk, stop supporting them. They thrive off of attention and will do anything to get it, regardless of the cost. Unfollow and unsubscribe. Stop giving them an excuse to disregard human life.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.