Influencers No More
Young people are turning away from the once-common digital dream of a career in content-production.
More than half of Gen Zers told a 2023 Morning Consult poll that they want to be social-media influencers when they grow up, citing the “money, flexibility and fun.” In 2021, teenagers found it far more appealing to become a vlogger, YouTuber or professional streamer than a doctor, nurse or athlete, according to a YouGov survey. Some young people are even drawn to careers involving a more lewd kind of “content creation” on the adult platform OnlyFans, where one star said she made $43 million in a year.
These less-than-noble aspirations have burnished Gen Z’s reputation as slumped-over doomscrollers who never see the sun and self-obsessed TikTokers who never look away from their selfie cameras. Or they must be like Sydney Sweeney’s character in the TV show “Euphoria,” who will do whatever it takes to achieve OnlyFans fame so she can fund her luxurious wedding—and satiate her undying need for online validation.
These caricatures are rooted in some truth. But they aren’t the full story. In reporting on my generation, I’ve witnessed a quiet revolution take root: Young people are burning out from the relentless digital world and losing faith in the dream of internet fame.
New data reflect this sentiment. The majority of people under 30 don’t want to model their lives after influencers Kylie Jenner, Emma Chamberlain and MrBeast, suggests a Yahoo/YouGov poll released this week. A plurality (36%) of respondents said they actually wouldn’t aspire to be like any of the celebrities on offer, which included Taylor Swift, Greta Thunberg and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. While 9% of those surveyed said they want to be famous, 79% said they prefer a private life.
This shift might reflect a realization that the marketplace of creators has gotten overcrowded, the contest for attention impossibly competitive. To stand out on Instagram or TikTok these days, an inspiring influencer has to court a niche audience and consistently churn out content, all the while portraying a sense of authenticity that draws viewers in.
Those who succeed can attract lucrative brand partnerships, score trips to far-flung destinations and even launch their own businesses. But the reality is that most influencers struggle to make a living. Nearly half of all online content creators earn less than $15,000 a year. And while the personality-driven nature of influencing offers some protection from AI-related job displacement, influencers might still age out of the job. As one TikToker told New York Magazine, “Am I going to be a 40-year-old influencer posting my outfits?”
Then there’s the quiet tax: Success online demands that you be always online. Photograph that Sunday afternoon workout outfit, broadcast life’s most important milestones, post your every opinion. Not a day goes by where you can log off, or else you risk falling behind in the algorithm.
It’s no wonder many young people want to untether from the rat race for online virality and from the digital world at large. On Instagram, it’s increasingly popular to have smaller, private accounts rather than large public followings. Dating apps like Tinder and Hinge are shedding users who are experiencing “swipe fatigue” and prefer not to judge a potential partner through a screen. On a cultural level, Gen Zers are appreciating the analog world of film cameras and vinyl records and going back to movie theaters. They’re yearning to experience life in-person and in the moment.
What, then, will they grow up to be? Influencers aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. As economic precarity and artificial intelligence shrink the entry-level job market, the creator industry will likely keep at least some of its appeal. But the preference is shifting from status to stability, from curated perfection to a life that’s more private, more sustainable and likely more fulfilling. Because if there’s one thing this generation is good at, it’s knowing when the work isn’t worth it.
Ms. Koch is associate editor of Free Expression.