No longer easily influenced: Youths using their smartphones to get the latest news from influencers through social media. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
They are regarded as among least-trusted people by Malaysians in survey
PETALING JAYA: Are Malaysians falling out of love with influencers?Apparently so, according to a poll that rates them as among the least trusted people by Malaysians, with only politicians being seen as less trustworthy.
Last week, a survey by global market research firm Ipsos revealed that 36% of Malaysians expressed distrust of social media influencers, behind the 41% who distrust politicians.
“The influencers’ lifestyles don’t feel authentic. It’s all about selling something rather than sharing genuine thoughts,” said Nasrah Muhd Abdi, 28, a graphic designer.
“I’ve been using social media since I was a teenager, so I can tell when someone is using heavy filters or being fake.
“It’s not surprising that people no longer trust influencers,” said Nasrah, who started to remove some influencers from her list about a year ago.
She also talked about how she once bought a beauty product promoted as suitable for sensitive skin, only to experience a breakout.
“Some influencers have no problem lying,” she said.
The rising scepticism also shows a more discerning public, with users now better equipped to recognise authenticity, says a sociologist.
“Audiences are now questioning the authenticity of influencers, particularly as many are sponsored and their posts are often part of marketing campaigns rather than genuine expressions,” said Dr Azrina Husin of Universiti Sains Malaysia yesterday.
“We live in a world dominated by social media and influencers create content to gain attention and engagement, often driven by the potential for monetary returns.”
She also highlighted the “attention economy” where influencers must produce increasingly outlandish or engaging content to capture short attention spans.
“Many influencers operate in this ‘attention economy’, vying for our attention with exaggerated or overly curated content,” Azrina explained.
The growing scepticism about influencers, she said, was not surprising.
“Improved social media literacy has enabled users to see beyond superficial posts. With increasing awareness, users are demanding more authenticity in the content they consume.
“People are beginning to see beyond the curated front stage of someone’s life and understand that what is presented online is only a small fraction of reality,” she said, adding that it reflected a maturing society.
Azrina also said it was crucial to educate young people about recognising what is real and what is not.
“Influencers are becoming an important agent of socialisation, much like teachers in the past and we must pay attention to their influence on the younger generation,” she said.
Many social media users agree.
Aizat Arif, a 23-year-old art student, said his perspective on influencers has changed.
“Some influencers are fake, while others with expertise provide value. I still follow them all, but now I view their content as entertainment rather than advice,” he said.
Aizat admitted to being easily influenced as a teenager, purchasing items that failed to meet expectations.
“I’ve been burned before, like buying a shirt that looked great online but was of poor quality or an action figure that didn’t resemble the character I wanted,” he said.
Aizat also criticised some self- proclaimed “love gurus”, saying they often lack expertise and rely on biased judgments.
“They sell their ‘tips’ for money, but are never helpful.”
Aizat emphasised the importance of stepping back to critically evaluate content, a practice increasingly being adopted by social media users.
“Now, I can spot authenticity by taking a moment to re-evaluate what a person says instead of trusting blindly,” he added.
