Is Anyone a Real Influencer Anymore?

Dr. Velan Kunjuraman, a senior lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, discusses the evolving definition of a social media influencer. He argues that follower count alone isn't enough, emphasizing engagement, content quality, niche authority, and platform activity as crucial factors. Drawing on Erving Goffman's dramaturgical perspective, he highlights how influencers curate their online personas to resonate with audiences, often equating success with wealth and potentially misleading younger viewers.

Velan said some ‘internet personalities’ face trust deficits due to unmet audience expectations or a lack of transparency. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/

He said nano-influencers have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers, micro-influencers have between 10,000 and 100,000, macro-influencers have between 100,000 and one million, and mega-influencers have over one million. “Many social media influencers equate success with wealth, misleading younger audiences to devalue education and moral principles. This contributes to a form of false consciousness, and diverts individuals from deeper societal values and aspirations.”

“Food reviewers might lose credibility if their endorsements fail to reflect the actual quality of the dishes they highlighted,” he said, adding that trust relies on maintaining integrity and authenticity.

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