Want to be an influencer? Protect your data
Introduction
I’ve been decluttering; I found this survey in a bunch of papers in a random folder. Do you know where this is from?
I purchased a cassette tape from the Wherehouse, and this survey came inside the plastic shell. It made me think about how we so freely handover our data. This type of survey was way before the public internet.
I have many interests and quirks (jeez, Petz, you’re handing over more data), but since moving over to the decentralized world, I’ve taken measures to secure my data as much as possible.
I love helping others and sharing my passions (don’t do it Petz, don’t share your passions) I know Gen Z and Gen A are going to be heavily relying on content creation background, but never let it compromise your data.
TL;DR
- Data Privacy Awareness: Reflecting on past practices of freely sharing personal information through surveys and the importance of securing data in the decentralized world.
- Influencer Culture and Hobbies: The rise of influencer fame during the pandemic, the shift towards content creation, and exploring personal hobbies like sausage making.
- Reality TV and Social Media Evolution: Tracing the journey from 90s reality TV to the 2000s and 2010s social media, highlighting the ease of gaining fame today compared to traditional methods.
- Mukbang Community and Reaction Channels: Discussing the mukbang trend, its potential health risks, and the dynamics of reaction channels in the internet content landscape.
- Protecting Personal Data Online: Emphasising the importance of using data removal services and being cautious about sharing personal information online, especially for content creators.
The rise of influencer fame
During the pandemic, platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and an emerging TikTok are still trying to find their feet (remember when it was Musical.ly or merged with that platform), but ordinary people had become our living entertainment.
We all got into different hobbies too. Bread making was a big one; I got into sausage making because I was heavy into keto and wanted to control the ingredients. I made all types of sausages, but that was tricky when I used vegetarian casing to make halal sausages for my best friend. The particular vegetarian casing I got it’d break easily, but I eventually got there!
Reality TV
In the late 90s, the Reality TV era emerged. Well, in the early 90s, we had “Real World” on MTV; there was plenty of drama and scandal, but it wasn’t as intense as what you see on UK Celebrity Big Brother.
But this reality TV is what got us comfortable watching ordinary people’s lives unfold; you can use trashy 90s TV like Jerry Springer or Jenny Jones (hold that thought — Jenny will be reappearing again)
Social Media
With the rise of social media, in the 00s and 10s, and our comfort level with reality TV, we started gravitating to influencers and creators. You can imagine back in the day, lets just say 1970s, doing what you can do now on YouTube was impossible. You’d have to move to LA or NY, take some acting classes, network, send in countless headshots, and audition.
Now fame is pretty much handed to someone on a silver platter. However, they still have to work for it, putting the time and effort into content planning, graphic designing, writing scripts, understanding the algorithm (or as Mr Snowflake would say Shaped By the Algorthim), and knowing SEO would be beneficial too.
The Mukbang Community
I belong to a lot of communities, I have a lot of interests. I came across the mukbang community, when an article came about about Nikocado Avacado stop being vegan. I learnt mukbang orginated from South Korea, its sitting down in front of the camera and eating. Although some people go overboard, and those especially who are struggling with weight, but eat their feelings on camera, it’s very dangerous, with ramafications of getting heart disease, stroke, and asthma all sorts of issues.
I saw the beginning of his slipperly slope, the first massive breakup with Orlin and he a massive breakdown. But then over the years, the clickbaiting and the stage fights (still entertaining for those who like that) it got a little tiresome, but I was one of those “followers” on X who got that “followed” by him. To this day I can’t imagine how crazy his algorithm must have looked by following everyone. Nikocado is an entertainer through and through, but this blog really isn’t about Nick.
From Nick, I got to know Hungry Fat Chick, and then there was this Canadian beauty influencer who was slowly starting to build her channel but was still trying to find her groove; she goes by the name Foodie Beauty. I got to know her through the Bibi days, I actually enjoyed watching her themed dinners, I remember the Titanic one, she actually took the time and effort. I would dip in and dip out. You can watch this two part documentary from loneentourage part 1 and part 2.
Problematic creators and reactors
But with the pandemic and working from home, you needed some background noise, at least I did, and my goodness did we get PLENTY of that from Gorl World during the pandemic. Gorl World from my understanding is sort of tied to mukbangs, but its a particular mukbanger Amberlynn. But it has all sorts of Urban Dictionary definitions to surf though.
I checked in on Foodie Beauty, she had broke up with Bibi and was dating this guy she met on a dating app. But their drama got very toxic. What did that toxicity bring? Reaction channels. Now Foodie was acting very erratic at the time, you could tell she was having a breakdown.
What makes a good reaction channel?
Reaction channels were the perfect for gorl world fans to turn into if you don’t want to watch livestreams, long videos or you missed a livestream. For me the perfect reactor has this formula
- Telling their point of view from a compelling narrative.
- Engaging and acknowledging their viewers and members.
- If they do livestreams, they have fun activities for their members like bingo or some sort of lowkey quiz game.
- They do research, they know their facts, and they know the key players.
- They don’t encourage harm, dox sensitive info, violence or any sort of type of behaviour towards other reactors and creators.
- They don’t insert themselves into the creators drama/life; they are reacting to lives/drama, no Norman Bates behavior.
Foodie Beauty snapped at a lot of her subscribers, she didn’t deliver on her pay reward tiers, she kept herself locked up in her room. For me personally it was very depressing to watch, it made me miss the Titantic days. As a viewer, I just wasn’t entertained. I didn’t want to support by watching someone slowly kill themselves in front of us.
One Foodie Beauty reaction channel, another Canadian YouTuber, FFG, is the centre of many controversies, from what I understand from this documentary from LoneEntourage. She started as a weight loss channel, she used to be a fan of Amberlynn and Foodie Beauty, until she realised they weren’t weight loss channel. Foodie Beauty ended up blocking her and the two of them have been at each other’s throats.
Internet beef is nothing new, whether you’re on a message board or debating with some cow on facebook. But when you bring it into the real world, that’s when its not on.
What is swatting and doxxing?
Another thing I strongly oppose is swatting, a practice that originated within the gaming community. Picture this scenario: you’re a twitch streamer, engrossed in a game of League of Legends, when suddenly a viewer who dislikes a move you made.
They call your local police department saying there’s a burglary in progress and the individual has a gun or there’s a murder taking place. The police rush to your residents; let’s just say your door it locked; they’ll break open the door and scare you and your family.
It’s a waste of police resources, money, and time. And these swats can go horribly wrong, where the police may accidentally shoot someone.
Doxxing is taking someone’s sensitive information, contact details and showcasing them on their social platforms. It’s a problem, its so easy to get people’s data these days. All you can do is pay a few bucks, and you get someone’s life story and ruin your life.
Remember my Jenny Jones comment?
Jonathan Schmitz, who murdered Scott Amedure three days after the two appeared on “The Jenny Jones Show,” claimed “gay panic” and bought a shotgun. Schmitz was convicted of second-degree murder and released in 2017. The Amedure family’s wrongful death lawsuit against the show was unsuccessful. That was our “reality” tv experience dancing into real life. It gets messes. Don’t mix internet beef with IRL.
The top 3 data removal companies
But there are ways you can protect yourself and your family, although I still believe nothing is 100% fool-proof, it’s also being mindful about how much you share (don’t do it this time Petz).
Data Removal companies for example are a great way to save time and to get your data off those people search sites. With some of these subscription platforms, you can also change the parameters if you change your name or marry.
- Description: Incogni is a user-friendly data removal service, focusing on efficient data removal across a wide network of platforms.
- Pricing: $6.49/month (annual plan), $12.99/month (monthly plan).
- Pros: You can expect a full refund within 30 days if not satisfied.
Surfshark team created this. Removes information from numerous internet databases. Keeps track of data brokers. Updates are provided on a weekly basis. - Cons: There is no free trial available. Detailed reports are not provided.
- Description: Optery provides a comprehensive tool for secure data erasure from various databases.
- Pricing: Free (basic self-service), $3.99/month (110+ sites), $14.99/month (170+ sites), $24.99/month (270+ sites).
- Pros: Their guarantee lasts for 30 days and includes a complete refund. They protect your data by covering more than 270 data brokers and people search sites. Their AES-256-bit encryption ensures the security of your data. You will receive a thorough removal report.
- Cons: Restricted complimentary functions. Might not include all specialized data providers.
- Description: Known for its robust digital footprint cleanup, Privacy Bee ensures data removal and prevents re-addition on data brokerage sites.
- Pricing: $197/year.
- Pros: A browser extension that prevents tracking on more than 350 data broker websites. Includes an email scanning function. Guards against potential dangers on the dark web. Option to try the service for free.
- Cons: More expensive option with no monthly subscription available.
Be sure to do your own research with these companies, before you start streaming, TikToking, SnapChatting (is that still a thing?) but there are some creepy creepertons out there with dangerous intentions, just exercise caution, no matter how many superchats you get get, you REALLY don’t know these people.
And if you plan to do YouTube full time, be sure to have a self-care fund set aside and treat yourself. It’s a lot of hard word, and you deserve a nice holiday.
My two favourite YouTube reactors
I’ll admit, though, I do have a soft spot for two particular reactors, YoMama and A Mon Avis; both channels are entertaining, make me laugh, make me think, and their communities, from my observations, aren’t toxic.
Yo Mama comes from the gaming community, Madden in particular, I like his vibe because I used to work for the gaming industry, so I dig his banter. A Mon Avis is the dynamic duo, they have AMAZING chemistry, I dig their banter too. As a dual US/UK citizen (again, more data leak, I gotta stop doing that), I appreciate the American and British humour.
A big shoutout to Yo Mama and A Mon Avis, keep up the good work!
The final word
Fame is intoxicating; we’re dealing with a living crisis worldwide, I’ve felt it here in the UK (Peta!! What’s wrong with you!!) when platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram offer some perks and renvenue means to a creator, who wouldn’t want this job full time? (Not me personally — I’m being honest)
But you have to sadly sacrificed (which I’m trying to help you protect) some form of your privacy. You have to be good with money management as well, I heard Foodie Beauty for example, she was earning six figures for her content and she blew that money all away on food and amazon.
Either hire yourself a savvy investment manager or come up with a plan of home much you plan to pay yourself and how much you plan to put away for taxes. I know its boring stuff, but you have to be prepared. For those who are interested in investing you should look up social investing. Just never invest what you can’t afford.
For someone like me, I’m not chasing followers, likes, and subscribers. In fact, this was just an idea; myself and another subscriber had, as we were commenting on a video. The power of community, never underestimate it, and if you’re looking for a fabulous community consultant, hit up my friend Simon, he used to be a senior content manager on twitter (but only paid opportunities).
Keep on top of your identity; if you have questions about any decentralized apps, please let me know. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll try my best to point you into the right direction.
PS: Writing in the third person, did you notice? It’s a nifty trick to highlight how effortlessly we can reveal personal details online. Stay safe, be data savvy and thanks for reading my blog.
