Confessions of an Influencer

Globally, there are more than 50 million people creating original content for social media. Make no mistake about it. The influencer industry is huge. In many cases, being an influencer is like being a Hollywood celebrity. Strangers will often recognize influencers in public.

But life as a content creator is not all about money and fame. Living life in the public eye comes at the expense of personal privacy.

Over the last several years there have been many well-documented incidents of stalkers tracking down content creators, including Kim Kardashian being robbed at gunpoint inside her Paris hotel room back in 2016.

In this episode of Privacy Files, we dive into the world of content creators and the risks they face as it relates to their personal privacy.

To aid in the conversation, an influencer joins us in-studio to discuss her experiences creating content for platforms like TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram.

We kick off the episode by covering some news about the concept of "sharenting", the act of parents oversharing pictures, videos and other intimate details of their kids' lives online.

Michelle then talks about her efforts to grow as a content creator and the precautions she takes to protect her privacy while still maintaining a public presence.

We look at the differences between how Millennials and Gen Z view social media.

Then we transition into the topic of performative vulnerability and how content creators feel pressure to open up more and more of their lives to strangers to keep the likes and engagement rolling.

Michelle gives us insight into what privacy means to her as a female and how privacy and safety intersect in her world.

To close out the episode, Rich and Michelle discuss key tips for influencers to follow to minimize digital exhaust and thus stay private and safe.

Links Referenced:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/sharenting-privacy-concerns-1.6779790

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joca.12462

https://www.cnet.com/news/politics/the-us-is-finally-dealing-with-the-exploitation-of-child-influencers/

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1627&Year=2023&Initiative=false.

https://www.collegeofinfluence.com/blog/is-privacy-a-luxury-for-influencers

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a41946590/influencer-content-creation-hurting-mental-health/

https://www.incfile.com/blog/data-privacy-digital-security-for-influencers

https://www.incfile.com/blog/data-privacy-digital-security-for-influencers

https://security.googleblog.com/2017/11/new-research-understanding-root-cause.html

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