They are called INFLUENCERS for a reason.
Anyone who has more than a handful of subscribers on YouTube, ones that are more than just your relatives should be considered an Influencer. And as the subscriber number grows, so does the strength in the power of the Influencer. There is a reason why Brands are attracted to the big hitters out there. They know that a single good word or bad word from one of these can reach more and have better results than most other advertising options out there. Heck, even those with a few subscribers wield a small amount of response.
I know... you are probably trying to figure out what in the world I'm talking about. Is this a writer thing? Or has she fallen down another rabbit hole of the weird and strange? Nope. Let me explain.
At lunch today, I watched a video by a well-known YouTuber that I sometimes follow. I don't always agree with what she says, but I like to keep an open mind about what people offer. Now she has a fair amount of followers, somewhere around the 100,000 subscribers mark. She regularly reports on what works and doesn't work in her lifestyle, but a while back she reported on a problem she had with work that was being done for her (read: purposely vague so not to get in trouble), and after a couple videos about her attempts to get compensation from the company, and after posting reviews on Google and other review sites, she decided it was justified to release the name of the company that she had an issue with. I say justified... because that's how she presented her decision to do so.
It didn't take long before her video elicited enough of a response to cause issue. In fact, it was reported back to her by the company that the owner of the location was receiving death threats.
She took the video down and offered a stunned apology, saying that she would most likely not mentioned it again and her intention was not to have people threatened. She did admit that she hoped her followers would contact the company and push for a response, but her intention was never to harm.
Today, she posted another video. This time, she mentioned how she felt her actions all along were justified and she can't be responsible for the actions people take when they watch her videos. But here's the thing... they don't call them Influencers for nothing...
If I want to buy a new product I look for reviews online. If I am thinking about how to change the color of my hair I look at inspiration from others. Granted, I don't take it as absolute Gospel, but I do try to review with an open mind. That's my part of the responsibility in the actions.
Her actions were no different than a politician spouting their beliefs and hoping to raise up a following that will move their agenda forward. That was her responsibility.
Words have power.
I know that the times in my life when I got stuck in my own justification for believing in the total "rightness" of something was usually the time it came back and bit me in the butt. We are a generation of instant communication. There are no carefully worded letters or columns to the editor. It's all put out on YouTube to illicit that instantaneous response, both from the Influencer and the Influenced.
When we become Influenced by our own power we forget to be humbled by the very nature that nurtured us. We become so rigid in our beliefs that we can't see that there is always more than one side to a situation.
Now, you may be thinking that by my posting this I am trying to do the same thing she is... but I'm not doing this to shame anyone. I'm not posting names or channels or even the genre they are in. There are many YouTubers who fit the description I have given and I have no intention of pushing you in any direction or opinion. I had a high school Social Studies teacher (do they still do that?) that preached the phrase Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. I'm not saying that the person intended on world domination, only that energy reads energy and intention is the same.
In the end, it is easiest to remember that being nice to each other costs nothing and gives us everything.
Take it as you will. That's all folks...
