LET'S TALK ABOUT SOCIAL INFLUENCER RESPONSIBILITY

With great power comes great responsibility, and having a social media presence with a significant following is a huge task to take up. Isn't it about time that we paid attention to how content that is put out for fun, can actually do more harm than good? While the trend to become an influencer is on the rise these days, people who are already in the spotlight need to be held accountable for the content they promote that adversely affects people. Humaira Asghars Tiktok of setting a part of the Margalla Hills on fire in Islamabad, goes to show the insensitivity and complete blindness to matters of importance. Educated or not, as an influencer you have the responsibility to make sure you have a sense of moral and ethics while creating content. Whether you have 5000 followers or 500,000, your platform ultimately gives you the power to influence those who follow you. Ofcourse, you are not obligated to use your platform for good or to discuss important issues. Just like that, you are not to blame for any feelings of jealousy or negativity one might feel when they see your post. However, when you’re Kim Kardashian telling the world you starved yourself to fit into a dress, or you're Humaira Asghar setting fire to a forest for a video, one really needs to ask themselves, to what extent are you the influencer, responsible for the content you put up?

While wildlife officials have already taken action against the Tiktoker in a bid to protect the forest amid the rising trend of wildfires, it is rare for our social media stars to be held accountable. Sometimes we wonder what it would be like if ridiculous trends that posed a threat to society were censored off the screens of our young impressionable minds. People desperate for followers go to the most extreme lengths and put themselves and everyone around them in danger. Social influencer responsibility needs to be taken seriously, it isn't an overlooked fact that when our social stars get paid to promote products they do it mindlessly without understanding exactly what it is that they are promoting. This comes under false advertising that in most cases is a legal offense under the consumer protection act. Influencers need to be more aware of the things they are putting out and for that conversations need to be started and people that have been misled and influenced by their acts should be able to voice their experiences to set examples. If precautionary measures are not taken. We might be heading down a dangerous path.