BY LIV WALDE
Attaining influencer status yields numerous perks like invites, gifts, and discounts, but it demands consistent portrayal and selling of a specific image, often turning a hobby into a relentless content-driven pursuit, sacrificing genuine experiences for curated appearances.
Amidst pervasive image manipulation and societal beauty ideals, even as someone who edits pictures, it's disheartening to see the gap between flawless online images and real-life appearances, a trend shared by influencers influenced by the pressure for perfection, impacting their followers' self-perception.
Fake influencers not only manipulate their own appearances but also doctor images of travel destinations, crafting a false narrative that, when experienced firsthand, reveals the orchestrated effort behind the facade.
Their online persona exudes cheerfulness and confidence, yet in person, they rarely smile or behave the same way, illustrating the ease of assuming a character online that often doesn't align with their true personality, a common sign of a fake influencer.
Interacting with influencers at events involves strategic affability for potential mutual gain, but revealing a lack of followers can abruptly cool their interest.