CCT110 Podcast Assignment

The podcast discusses influencer farms, which are operations in China where influencers are hired to go live on platforms like TikTok and ask viewers for gifts, essentially money. These influencers work long hours in difficult conditions, and their presence on social media can create unrealistic beauty standards for young users. It's important for viewers to be aware of the truth behind these farms and the content they see. The podcast raises concerns about the exploitation of influencers and suggests that awareness is the first step in addressing the issue. Hi guys! Welcome back to the Social Talk Podcast. Today we're going to be talking about Influencer Farms. And although I have a positive attitude right now, these things have a dark truth and I'm going to break it down for you guys. I know some of you may not know what the heck I'm talking about, but when I describe it to you, you're going to know exactly what it is. And I can almost guarantee you, if you have TikTok, you've seen it yourself. So, let me paint the scenario. Have you ever scrolled on your 4U page and seen these random creators, mostly of Asian descent, doing live videos, spending most of their time asking viewers for gifts, which basically is money for them? Well, this is strategic and these operations are mostly held in incubators in China, in which these companies hire influencers to essentially go on these lives. And as bizarre as this sounds, it's not even the worst of it. These influencers are working long hours in hard conditions, with bright lights constantly in front of these cameras, being watched and being told what to do. On top of that, I want you to imagine young kids on TikTok who could be seeing a flood of these influencers, just like how we're seeing it, all over their 4U pages. And these young kids are seeing a beauty standard behind all these filters that is practically unattainable. So, I wanted to spread awareness about these influencer farms because they might seem harmless to the people who are not growing up on the platform. People like me and you in their late teens, 20s maybe, and we can see through that undeniable fakeness behind all the filters, we're not buying it. But we need children to know that social media is simply not real. We also don't worry much about these farms because many of us are not aware of the working conditions because we only see a small portion of their space. So, with influencer farms being a new concept as social media continues to innovate aspects of our lives, it's just important for us as viewers to be weary of the truth of these farms and be properly informed on the content coming across our pages. So, I want to know what you guys think. Do you think this concept is as bizarre as I think it is? Do you think the parents of these younger generations should be concerned for their children? Do you think we should be concerned? I mean, there are people out there being exploited for money for these companies. I think there's room to worry. And where do we go from here? I think it all just starts with us being aware. But anyways, thank you guys for listening. Take care. And people on the other side, thanks for listening in on the Social Talks Podcast.