What is authenticity nowadays?

INTRO

Authenticity = The quality of being real or true.

But what the freak even is authenticity now? Is it being unfiltered or vulnerable? Or is it just another brand aesthetic we’ve adopted through the use of social media? BeReals, monthly photo dumps on Instagram, close friends stories with people that aren’t your actual close friends – these are made to feel like we’re showing our “real”. You missed the two-minute BeReal timer? That’s fine, I know you’re going to stage it later, make sure the books are piled neatly, pens angled correctly, like “oops missed the timer because I was revising” – babes I know you were scrolling on TikTok and just took them books out, don’t even. Like we’re low-key performing relatability now; oh you got a matcha latte? Wow you’re so cute and on-trend – YOU DON’T EVEN LIKE MATCHA!!!!

DATA ANALYSIS

I found a few resources online relevant to my area of interest.

One is a study by Chou et al. (2023), she looks into social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are central to our entertainment and even as a source of news to young people. The study also talks about how these platforms encourage people to become content creators. I found this relatable because I see normal people, such as my friends, build their own communities by consistently posting aesthetic/ relatable content that people love to see. It’s as if they’re creating their own brand without needing anything “official”.

Another study by Audrezet et al. (2020), explores how social media influencers try to stay “real” in their content. People value genuineness on social media, especially in a space where we’re constantly told not to believe everything we see. But when that little “paid partnership” or “content collaboration” tag appears on a TikTok, you might instantly assume the influencer isn’t being as genuine as they seem — and that they’re just in it for the money, which, when you think about it, might be the main goal after all.

A third study I found explores the psychological effects of social media and influencing by Duffy and Hund (2015); they look at how becoming a content creator often comes with pressure to behave a certain way e.g. always have positive content or content on a specific topic like for a certain fanbase – if they are to deviate from their initial content, will they get the same feedback? If the likes on the post happen to be low, it could take a toll on them and they may think of themselves as boring, when it’s really just the algorithm not adjusted to this new content.

ANECDOTE

Before I continue, I am not bashing anyone, I am quite literally the same. I am an offender to consumerism the way I will literally buy anything that is relevant at the time just to feel included – that’s not very authentic of me, is it? Heck, I was about to buy a Labubu doll because everyone had one, even though I didn’t see the need for it at all, and was not in a place to be spending any more money on miscellaneous items. I even posted this on my Instagram story:

Multiple people even liked this story, which could potentially mean they agree with me/ had a similar idea. So, what even is authenticity online? Maybe we are posting just to be seen – even if that means posting what we think we want others to see, me included!