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Children would prefer to be YouTube stars than astronauts, according to a 2019 poll. It generated news coverage and a lot of complaints about "kids these days." However, it is not shocking that young people—up to 1.3 million in the UK—want to monetize their social media presence.

In 2021, it was predicted that the worldwide influencer market would be worth $13.8 billion. Influencers like Deliciously Ella and Zoella are each valued about £2.5 million and £4.7 million, respectively. Approximately 300,000 people between the ages of 18 and 26 already rely solely on their income from creating content.

"Although the lifestyles promoted on social media are alluring, is influence really a feasible professional path? The insecure income, gender, racism, and disability pay disparities, as well as mental health problems, are hidden beneath the polished façade. These effects, which young people seeking to become influencers should be aware of, have been identified in my research with travel influencers and content creators "According to Nina Willment, a researcher,

The first to assert that anyone can succeed in the sector are influential people who have achieved success. Molly Mae Hague, a former Love Island participant who is now an influencer, received criticism for claiming that everyone "had the same 24 hours in a day," when in fact, very few influencers "make it" financially.

Brooke Erin Duffy, an expert in the social media economy, investigates the professions of fashion bloggers, beauty vloggers, and designers. She revealed a wide disparity between individuals who find rich employment as influencers and everyone else in her book (Not) Getting Paid To Do What You Love. Most people who are attempting to become influencers find that their free work for corporate companies typically turns into their passion projects of content production.

Pay discrepancy was named as a major problem in the influencer market by the UK Parliament"s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee in a report from April 2022. Pay disparities exist based on disability, colour, and gender. The DCMS report made reference to a 2020 study by the international public relations firm MSL group, which discovered a 35% pay difference between white and black influencers.

To draw attention to these differences, Adesuwa Ajayi, senior talent and relationships lead at AGM Talent, created the Influencer Pay Gap Instagram account. Influencers can use the platform provided by the account to anonymously share their experiences working with businesses. The account has revealed salary differences experienced by influencers who are disabled and LGBTQ+ in addition to racial disparities.

A "pervasive absence of employment support and protection" was also mentioned in the DCMS study. Since the majority of influencers work for themselves, they frequently have unpredictable income and lack the benefits of permanent employment, such as the right to paid time off and sick leave.

In the influencer industry, the hazards of self-employment are made worse by a lack of industry rules and a lack of pay transparency.

Influencers frequently have to judge their own worth and set their own rates for their services. Because of this, content producers frequently undervalue their own creative effort, and many of them wind themselves working for nothing.
Crisis in mental health

One of the most pervasive problems in the influencer market is mental health disorders, which are eventually caused by constant online presence. There is no longer a distinct distinction between work and life for many influencers because they may connect to their platform workplaces and audience at any time of the day or night. This might cause influencers to work excessively and have mental health problems like burnout when combined with the fear of losing their visibility.

Online visibility exposes content producers to serious online abuse, including criticism of their appearance, the things they publish (or don"t post), and inaccurate assumptions of influence as a profession. Online abuse has the ability to cause problems with both mental and physical health, such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.

Even though more and more people may find it enticing to become influencers, the industry"s shadowy side needs to be exposed and addressed through tighter employment regulations and industry-driven cultural change.