We’ve got one question for you. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word influencer? Is it something good? To be honest, we can only guess it’s nothing positive. But, why? Wasn’t there a time when lots of people loved influencers? Well, absolutely! But, here’s the thing. A whole bunch of influencers are messing up big time. And that’s getting people to talk.
As a matter of fact, just last month we were talking about this lady who went on a crying spree because her Instagram account was deleted. Moreover, she said the 9 to 5 life was not for her. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that. We’re all free to choose how we want to live. But, the way she expressed her words was what ended up outraging people.
And what about that time when a couple on Instagram started posting pics of themselves doing dangerous stunts? The fact of the matter is that people no longer see influencers as something positive. Unfortunately, a bunch of them do something that is not right, and influencers that do actually do positive things get criticised.
Well, guess what! It’s happened again. Unfortunately, an Instagram couple have made it to the news and now people are talking again. Find out what this new controversy is all about.
Meet The Instagram Freeloaders
Instagram is home to millions of travel influencers. Some sharing pictures that are more beautiful than others. Indeed, there are lots of people who follow these accounts. And why wouldn’t they? After all, that gets them to see beauty through the screen of their phones.
Now, one of these accounts is that of the German couple Cat and Elena. The young influencers share an Instagram account called Another beautiful day official. Evidently, as travel vloggers, they visit different places all the time.
For instance, they have visited Bali, Nepal, Paris, and Copenhagen. But, this time they are hoping to go and see the wonders of Africa. However, there’s a bit of a problem. The German couple decided to ask their followers for money to actually help them make that trip.
And how much do they need? Well, just a few thousand pounds (£9k to be more accurate). As a matter of fact, they opened a Gofundme page to collect this money. “Unfortunately,” it doesn’t look like they are going to make it.
Indeed their page has raised £287 as of the date this article is being written. But, other than that, they have only got negative comments rather than support. And let’s be honest, that was expected.
The Reason – Why Did They Ask For Money?
So, here comes the question many people have been asking. How come they don’t make money through modelling, selling merch, or a brand deal? Why did they have to ask their followers for money? Finally, are they going to give something in return for the money they receive?
Certainly, these all are excellent questions. And here are the answers to all of them. First of all, they do not want to make money through any of the traditional means because that would contribute to consumerism.
Secondly, the duo asked for money because they claimed they wanted to
show the beauty of this planet and its inhabitants, but also the ugliness. Moreover, they expect to create mental health awareness from their trip.
Thirdly, they really aren’t giving anything in return. But, they have stated their followers will be able to enjoy the adventure of being in Africa through the posts they’ll share.
Indeed, they knew people would tell them to simply get jobs. So, this is what they wrote: “Some will just tell us to get jobs, like everyone else and stop begging. But when you have the impact we do on others’ lives, getting a job is not an option.”
The fact of the matter is that users don’t support the German couple one bit. So, they might not be able to travel after all. But then again, the trip is not planned until the end of July, so who knows?
Final Thoughts – Are All Influencers Bad?
There will always be someone making a mistake for as long as social media exists. And we don’t only mean Instagram. As a matter of fact, this happens with all social media platforms in general. Take YouTube for example, the number of YouTubers who have made a mistake over the past few years is incredibly big.
But, here’s the thing. We are humans, and we all make mistakes. However, the actions of a few shouldn’t have to represent the actions of everyone. Of course, there are bad influencers out there. But, just like that, there are also good ones. Hopefully, people will be able to understand that someday.
