Australian beauty YouTube sensation Chloe Morello has done her best to blow the lid on the ‘influencer’ industry, alleging many of those with substantial followings are committing fraud by buying their following rather than building their profile authentically.
Morello, who started her blogging career back in 2008 and started creating beauty content for YouTube in 2012, says she believes many of the ‘influencers’ she is surrounded by have been landing major contracts with makeup giants on the basis of fake followers.
“Instagram is a big business,” she says in her latest YouTube video. “So many people want to be part of this world.”
“The reason I am making this video is because I am seeing social media influencers on Instagram – and this is going to sound so dramatic, but keep in mind social media is a billion-dollar business where brands are paying influencers a lot of money – and I am seeing influencers come up and actually committing fraud by fraudulently acquiring followers, likes and comments.
“It’s definitely frustrating seeing people getting the same opportunities as me, going to the same events or even ones I didn’t get invited to… when I have done a lot of research and believe their following is fake.”
Out of context, Morello is right. The concept of fraud within the influencer and Instagram industry sounds dramatic, if a little first world.
But the point she desperately wants to portray is an important one: Whatever you think of Instagram and the kind of shallow narcissism it can appear to celebrate, it’s a big, booming business. Careers are made and lost in follower counts, and because the pace of the industry has grown exponentially, regulation hasn’t had the opportunity to keep up.