In Influencers We Trust
How distrust in the media and trust in influencers has shaped consumers of news
As a social media professional, I consume much more news than what is probably healthy for humans. I am inundated with news on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube feeds, and I am responsible for creating content for my job that revolves around that news. Take, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, I have consumed hundreds of pieces of news in order to use that news as opportunity for our healthcare experts to show their expertise and help keep our communities safe.
Despite the fact that I consume the news 40+ hours a week in the office, I am not immune to ‘doom-scrolling’ when I get home, too. But unlike the news I consume from CNN, MSNBC and The Washington Post during the hours of 9–5, the news I consume in the evening is generally from a source who isn’t a member of the news media. My behavior is supported by the two-step flow theory of communications, which says that opinion leaders spread selective information from the news media based on what they feel is most important or relevant.
I still consume information about politics and pop culture, of course, but instead of hearing it from CNN or the fashion section of People magazine, I generally hear about it from influencers or my friends on Instagram. For example, Billie Eilish and her family are extremely passionate vegans, and they share information about veganism and animal cruelty that comes from a news source — but I only see the news because Billie has shared it to her social media channels. This is the case for most of the social issues I care about, including LGBTQ+ rights and climate change. My news almost always comes from influencers. I then become a micro-influencer myself, when I share news from opinions leaders to my feeds to my friends who may not have seen the posts yet. A great example of this is right after the murder of George Floyd, when everyone I knew posted to their Instagram Stories with “#BLM.” Some of us (including myself) still post about George today, demanding action from politicians.
The influencers I mention are everywhere — not just Instagram. My generation, at the end of the millennial range but right before Generation Z begins, grew up with YouTube and the rise of the YouTube influencer. I discuss my makeup and YouTube obsession more in-depth in my last post, but I mention it here to make the point that people follow influencers and heed their advice because they trust them. The increased regulation on influencer sponsorships has helped increase transparency when they post about a brand or a product, and in general, consumers think opinion leaders are exponentially more trustworthy than the news media. What’s interesting, however, is that I believe people don’t always look for the facts — instead, they look to have their already-decided beliefs and ideas supported by someone who agrees with them. Myself included! So, does this ‘trust’ only exist because we search for influencers who tell us what we want to hear? Should we as communicators look to increase public perception of and trustworthiness toward the neutral news outlets, which we know will report on the facts?
Ultimately, influencers and news outlets aren’t going anywhere, so it is our job as consumers to be selective with the information we hear and accept as truth. It’s easier said than done, but it’s critical for the betterment of society and prolonged democracy.
