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In a world saturated with purchase recommendations and perfect lifestyles promoted on social networks, a countercultural current emerges: the deinfluencers.
These “young renegades” question the authenticity of traditional influencers and promote more conscious consumption, challenging the culture of excess and superficiality.
The Rise of Influence
By: Gabriel E. Levy B.
The de-influencer movement emerged as a direct response to the exacerbated consumerism fostered by digital influencers, who have transformed social networks into advertising windows disguised as personal experiences.
Unlike the constant promotion of aspirational products and lifestyles, deinfluencers seek to demystify the need to own more, questioning the social pressure that pushes people to consume without reflection.
On platforms like TikTok, the #deinfluencing hashtag has amassed more than a billion views, suggesting a significant shift in the collective mindset.
Instead of giving in to the enthusiasm created by digital marketing, a growing number of users are now taking a critical stance towards the products that flood their screens.
This phenomenon reflects an evolution in the consumption habits of new generations, who seem increasingly willing to resist digital influence and adopt more sustainable and rational practices.
Diana Wiebe, a content creator from Ohio, quoted by the BBC, is one of the most recognized voices within this trend.
After experiencing firsthand the consequences of impulse purchases promoted on social networks, Wiebe began to generate content that encourages its followers to carefully analyze the real need for the products they recommend. “Did you want that product before it was offered to you?” he asks in one of his videos, challenging his audience to reflect on the way covert advertising shapes their purchasing decisions.
Wiebe is not the only one who has spoken out against the thoughtless consumption promoted by traditional influencers.
In an article published by the BBC, it is highlighted how the trend of deinfluencing has captured the attention of young people who, tired of the constant pressure to acquire the latest in technology, make-up and fashion, have decided to adopt a more critical stance.
This reflection is especially relevant in the context of social networks, where validation and acceptance have become fundamental drivers of consumption.
In addition, Wiebe and other influencers have highlighted how buying recommended products on social media not only affects consumers’ personal finances, but also contributes to environmental problems.
The overproduction of consumer goods, especially in industries such as fast fashion and technology, generates a significant ecological footprint.
Research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has revealed that the fashion industry is responsible for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions, making it one of the most polluting on the planet.
The rise of de-influence is not a simple act of digital rebellion, but a response to a system that has led people to believe that their identity and happiness depend on the constant possession of new objects.
In this context, the discourse of deinfluencers like Wiebe functions as a reminder that resistance to unbridled consumption is possible, and that questioning digital influence is not only valid, but also necessary.
The “haul” fever and the trap of digital consumerism
On social media, hauls have become one of the most popular trends.
This term, which in English means “loot” or “acquisition”, refers to videos where content creators show large purchases of clothing, makeup, technology or any other product.
What began as a way of sharing recommendations, ended up promoting a model of accelerated consumption, where the accumulation of goods is presented as something desirable and everyday.
Deinfluencers have pointed out that this type of content reinforces the idea that shopping without limits is normal and necessary.
Sociologist Juliet Schor, in her book The Overspent American, explains that modern society has adopted a consumption model based on constant comparison, where people feel that they need more things to achieve an ideal of success.
Applied to social networks, this phenomenon becomes even more evident: hauls convey the feeling that you are only relevant if you keep up with the latest trends, generating anxiety and pressure in viewers.
A clear example of the negative effects of this culture of waste is the case of Christina Mychaskiw, a content creator from Toronto.
In an interview with the BBC, he confessed that, in 2019, he accumulated a debt of 120,000 Canadian dollars due to purchases driven by social networks. “Every week I bought more things, even if I didn’t need them.
I was trapped in an endless cycle of consumption,” she explained. Her experience led her to rethink her habits and, eventually, to adopt a more conscious approach, where she prioritizes quality over quantity.
Now, he uses his platform to alert others to the risks of digital consumerism.
But the impact of hauls is not only financial. It also has serious environmental consequences.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation warns that the fast fashion industry is responsible for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions.
Every garment that is bought without thinking not only represents an economic expense, but also contributes to water pollution, the excessive use of natural resources and the increase in textile waste.
Journalist Dana Thomas, in her book Fashionopolis (2019), exposes how fast fashion has transformed the industry into a mass-production machine, encouraging uncontrolled consumption and labor exploitation.
Deinfluencing has emerged as an answer to this problem.
Instead of promoting unnecessary purchases, deinfluencers seek to get people to question whether they really need what the networks make them want.
Not only can this shift in mindset help improve consumers’ personal finances, but it also has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of accelerated consumerism.
At the end of the day, true luxury is not in having more, but in choosing better.
Impact on the Fashion and Marketing Industry
Fast fashion, characterized by the mass production of low-cost and short-lived garments, has been particularly pointed out by deinfluencers.
Stylist Lucinda Graham highlights that this model of consumption has distorted the construction of an authentic personal style, leading people to acquire ephemeral pieces that do not reflect their true identity. “When influencers convince us to buy clothes, we buy items that represent someone else’s lifestyle and try to emulate their life,” Graham said.
This approach promotes investment in timeless and quality pieces, allowing clothes to age naturally and give authenticity to the wardrobe.
Although the de-influencer movement is gaining traction, the influencer marketing industry continues to expand, reaching a global value of $21.1 billion in 2023. However, some fast fashion brands have registered a decrease in demand, which could indicate a change in consumption habits influenced by this new trend.
Aja Barber, author and contributing editor to Elle, emphasizes that while the movement is a step in the right direction, a deeper transformation that transcends social media is required to truly address the issues of excessive consumerism.
Representative Cases of Disinfluence
In addition to Diana Wiebe and Christina Mychaskiw, other content creators have taken center stage in the fight against consumerism driven by social networks.
These deinfluencers have gained notoriety by exposing how digital marketing strategies can lead people to spend more than they really need, affecting their economy and promoting a culture of compulsive buying.
One of the most prominent cases is that of the tiktoker Overcoming Overspending, whose name in English translates as “Overcoming overspending”.
Their content focuses on demystifying influencer culture and demonstrating how constant promotions can push people to spend irrationally.
Their videos, which have surpassed 9 million views, explain in a simple way how aggressive marketing tactics work on social networks.
Through concrete examples, he teaches his followers to identify when a product recommendation is genuine and when it is simply a business strategy disguised as advice. In addition, it offers practical strategies to make more conscious and healthy purchasing decisions, thus avoiding getting into debt due to following passing trends.
Another deinfluencer that has made an impact is Former Fat Guy Fitness, a content creator who went viral by questioning the excessive prices of certain products promoted by influencers.
In one of his most popular videos, he criticizes the cost of protein bars sold on the recommendation of celebrities on social networks, which can cost up to 5 dollars per unit.
Her message resonates with an audience tired of being bombarded with expensive products that promise extraordinary benefits, but in many cases can be replaced by more accessible and healthier alternatives.
The success of these deinfluencers shows a shift in mindset in digital consumers.
As sociologist Juliet Schor explains in her book The Overspent American (1998), excessive consumption is not always a conscious decision, but is often driven by social pressure and advertising.
Applied to the current context of social media, this phenomenon is amplified, as users are exposed to a constant stream of product recommendations that are actually part of carefully designed marketing campaigns.
Not only does this type of critical content help people be more responsible with their money, but it also promotes a culture where purchases are more rational and less driven by outside influence.
The existence of deinfluencers such as Overcoming Overspending and Former Fat Guy Fitness shows that more and more people are looking to regain control over their consumption habits, putting aside the pressure to buy just because someone popular on social networks recommends it.
In conclusion, the de-influencer movement represents a critical and necessary response to the unbridled consumerism promoted on social networks. By questioning the authenticity of recommendations and encouraging more conscious consumption, these “young renegades are inviting society to reflect on their shopping habits and the influence that digital platforms have on our daily decisions.
References:
Baudrillard, J. (1970). The consumer society: Its myths, its structures. Siglo XXI Editores.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (n.d.). A new textile economy: Redesigning fashion’s future. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
Schor, J. (1998). The overspent American: Why we want what we don’t need. HarperCollins.
Thomas, D. (2019). Fashionopolis: The price of fast fashion and the future of clothes. Penguin Press.
BBC News World. (2024). Deinfluencers: the stream of “young renegades” who try to raise awareness about the negative impact of influencers. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/clyjy5ll6mdo
