As technology has become a more relevant aspect of our lives, social media is used worldwide. With social media also comes influencers. Influencers are people on social media who recommend items that their viewers and fans should buy because they can potentially be getting paid from helping to sell the product or service. In contrast, some de influencers share real and raw reviews about the items or services the influencers shared with the viewers. The deinfluencers also share how they think the customers should avoid buying those specific items and suggest a cheaper product alternative. Both influencing and de-influencing are heavily seen by many through the app of TikTok, and many feel that this could potentially lead to a problem occurring within the world.

When you are out with friends, you often gossip about something you saw. There tends to be a lot of talk about what you saw online, in commercials, or through the different entertainment apps and the purchases you would like to make because you saw someone else using or wearing the product and felt it would look cute on yourself. When purchasing an item, it is always essential to remember, “Just because you put pretty packaging over garbage, doesn’t mean it’s not still garbage” (Bramley, 2023). This still does not stop many individuals from purchasing because they want the next big thing in style to compare with the social media influencers. The influencers try to make excellent videos for the viewers because they can get paid for many sales, whether good or bad. When the influencer buys items, the fans feel they should buy them too because they will be in style and one of the first to have and wear the product. Most of the time, when the viewers get the items, it is not what they thought it would be, meaning it does not work well. Because of the false advertising problem, deinfluencers are there to help the fans choose the cheapest options with the products that are being advertised. The more affordable options tend to work the same or even better, and it is a good choice for the viewers so that they do not feel as if they wasted a lot of money on an item that does not work to its best ability.

Even though online influencing can be seen as a great way to get products out to the communities and the world, overconsumption, fast fashion, and climate change are also problems with this subject. Overeating occurs when people continuously buy things that come into style. This happens because styles often change pretty fast within this society, so when you constantly buy new items and products, you have many things in your house that you do not use. The new items that are brought usually are piled up in your home and are never used because it was only in style for a short time. It did not meet your highest expected standards of what you wanted it to be due to seeing an influencer on social media glorify the product to make money from the sales. Similarly, there is fast fashion, when inexpensive clothing is rapidly produced due to the latest trends. Websites like H&M, Shein, Romwe, Fashion Nova, etc., are some of the most well-known trendy websites that many individuals use to shop for their clothes. Usually, when people order from these websites, they call in significant amounts because they feel the clothes are in style and cheaper than the big-name brand stores that are more expensive. When people think of influencing and fast fashion, they often think of females, which also happens within the male community with things like shoes, games, and clothes. Like females, males also feel they need the freshest and newest fits to impress others. I even see this occurring within my family because my cousins always tell their parents that they need new outfits and products that come out so they can look and feel their best.

Deinfluencing can be seen as a negative aspect by many others because they feel it hates the influencers in a way that could stop the influencer’s flow of income and money. Their income could stop because the deinfluencers are there to tell the truth about the products and tell the viewers how they work. Even though de-influencing can be seen as unfavorable by many individuals, it can potentially help the world in the long run so that people will stop spending so much money and overconsumption of products within their homes. Deinfluencing also gives the viewers a chance to actually step back and look to see what they are buying into and how it could affect the world. When we all consider what influencing can do, and how it can be a part of our consumer culture, de-influencing can be seen as a positive aspect in today’s society.