Authority is constructed and contextual. What this means is that we grant power to people or things based on who we sit fit and how use the information. For instance, we may trust our friends' opinions when recommending a movie over a film critics because of similar tastes. Whereas, we may trust a film critic's opinion over our friends' when talking about the film-making process for a class because they have experience working in the field. Typically, with traditional media, expertise is something we look into as users when deciding who to grant authority. However, because of the equitability of social media where everyone can create their own account and build an audience, expertise is not needed in order to enter into a position of authority that holds sway over people's opinions and perspectives.
Influencers, or charismatic content creators, can be considered authority figures on the internet. With their large audience, influencers can control narratives, promote products, and sway perspectives.
Read through the resources below to learn about Influencers and their abilities to instill trust in their audience
Influencer by Stanning Culture: Stanning, or stans, are overzealous fans of celebrities or influencers. They're characterized as being extremely passionate and loyal those that they stan, often defending them against others that raise concerns over problematic behaviors or non-fans.
SponCon: SponCon is shorthand for 'sponsored content.' It's a form of advertising on social media where advertisements are made to look like regular content. Influencers often are sought out by companies for brand deal, where they're paid to speak favorably about the product on their feed to large audiences.
