How Influencers Are Ruining Your Finances (Without You Realizing It)

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In this episode, Chelsea dives into the sinister world of undisclosed sponsored content (AKA ads) and how influencers are not being totally truthful about the lives they portray on social media.
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Script by Ryan Houlihan / ryanhoulihan
Source links:
datareportal.com/global-digit...
whatsnewinpublishing.com/bran...
influencermarketinghub.com/in...
getfluence.com/blog/2021/11/0...
observer.com/2017/09/ftc-inst...
arxiv.org/pdf/1803.08488.pdf
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[@thefinancialdiet]

Click here to check out part two of this topic, all about the specific scamminess of Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop (join at the $4.99 tier to get access!): kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2LIh6uOZ990icU

[@rizzaespina686]

How ironic lmao us paying to see content

[@imalrockme]

@@rizzaespina686 Yeah, I was thinking like "well, this ad looks sscammy" 😁

[@seabreeze4559]

the ASA in the UK is actually not a gov body, but owned by the corporations to protect them a protection racket basically

[@andreamartineau1197]

I absolutely hated working in medical aesthetics because the clinic owners expected all of their staff to be young, thin influencers with a following who promote the clinic for free on their channels. I was an overweight laser technician who refused to get filler, so I was quickly shown the door. I hate how so many companies expect non-marketing staff to be in house influencers

[@kaworunagisa4009]

Same in IT tbh. I'm AFAB so a lot of the time I was expected to be "eye candy" for the guys and a free promoter outside the office (including online) instead of a professional.

[@kendallstark4302]

@@kaworunagisa4009 what does AFAB mean?

[@tjones3393]

Every job I've ever had expected me to advertise for them for free in my off time for their basic min wage. Sometimes they didn't even pay that and still sent me a W2. Gotta love it.

[@Alexisisnt]

This has become an issue in so many industries - mine included (tattooing and piercing). It sucks that doing an amazing job in real life doesn't seem to matter if you're not playing model on instagram as well.

[@kaworunagisa4009]

@@kendallstark4302 Assigned Female at Birth.

[@yensid4294]

Way back in the stone age before the internet & social media & cell phones I took Mass Com in high school & learned a lot about the psychological manipulations of advertising. We were taught that ads basically worked on Hopes & Fears. In jr college I was a graphic arts/commercial art major & had to take Marketing classes since there was some overlap. Back then it was all print, TV & radio for the most part & we were focusing on print. I have been shocked at how naive younger people are regarding advertising/marketing. They seem to think that because they do not watch network television or listen to commercial radio or read print magazines that they are not being advertised to. When in reality they are being subjected to almost 24/7 infomercials by social media. Considering how necessary computers, smart phones & the internet now are to modern life, I don't understand why schools aren't teaching Basic Online Etiquette & Safety courses starting at around 6th grade & continuing throughout high school & even college to better equip online consumers to deconstruct the content they are consuming/supporting.

[@anaalves3658]

I agree with you, kids, people should be taught to recognise advertising in all its forms.

[@crimson4066]

The American education system is a literal shitshow built by greedy billionaires "I don't want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers" -John D. Rockefeller, a-hole who (largely) shaped our modern education system and Big Pharma

[@crimson4066]

It shouldn't come as a surprise that children aren't being taught things that can help them in life. We aren't taught about taxes, retirement plans, paths to further education, mental health, REAL history that isn't white-washed, etc.

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

The ones who make such rules barely understand the internet themselves. Also, talking about deconstructing what you see, hear and read has a nasty habit here in the U.S. of morphing into being politicized, as people jump to assumptions that its their side that's being warned against being viewed...even if that's not the conversation at all. We politicized a virus that literally lacks the ability to care about such things, I think that says it all. It would be a nightmare trying to get such classes in schools today.

[@ExiledStardust]

Because schools are controlled by governments and governments are controlled by politicians and politicians are controlled by the very corporations who are flogging this endless parade of bullshit to us.

[@michaelfolz971]

While it wasn’t discussed in the video, I think it’s also important to note that advertising is not always just what you see, sometimes it can be what you hear as well. There are plenty of influencers out there who get paid a decent amount of money to promote a new song or sound bite, almost never disclosing that information.

[@sierrasmith8722]

never thought of this!!

[@TH-eb5ro]

China recently fined one and has many others in the works for saying things on their channels that had not been proven, were not true. They were not a user of that product and therefore had not gotten the results they said. We can't let people sell us lies, if we accept it we are a part of it. Feathers in the Wind...

[@Kelseyveg]

Maybe this should have been an ad free video to talk about ads?

[@AmandaDavis6130]

Problem is that KZbin tends to prioritize monetized videos in the algorithm, to the point that having a video not monetized hurts its reach.

[@IndigoBellyDance]

Thank u!

[@amylee9]

For people with YoiTube premium which they pay extra to avoid ads, this feels so manipulative. To get the ads shoved in every video even as you pay extra to avoid ads. Annoying.

[@annwilliams6438]

@@amylee9Andhaving the in-video advserved up first before any content is even more annoying. It is like paying up front without even knowing what one is going to get.

[@janicetribbiani7535]

Chelsea saying “I bet you’ve watched some sponsored content today already” as her video starts with a sponsored product. Wow, she was right!!

[@malayavie8773]

LMAO exactly what I thought 😢

[@kiterafrey]

I think that was exactly the point. I think she was trying to show just important ads are but that they're not always good by comparing her disclosed ad to people's undisclosed ads. But I do love her open honesty about ads. Honest sells me a lot more than an ad read.

[@amb163]

With ANY content, ask the question: What are they trying to sell me? This is definitely applicable to literal items/services influencers are trying to sell, but also remember some of these folks are trying to sell ideas or perspectives. Not to say anything being sold is necessarily negative, but it's good to keep the aforementioned question in mind.

[@trinitylawrence5099]

Great tip 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@jessicaharrison4719]

I tell my kids, if you all of a sudden want something, maybe think about who benefits the most from you getting that thing. It usually isn't you.

[@susannjarvis5587]

I have become so very tired of the "real people" ads I see on KZbin. Thrive Cosmetics and Brooklinen are two that come instantly to mind. The vlog type format that is supposed to be just a real person in her (most are female) home sharing wonderful information with you. Oh sure. Then there's the Augustinus Bader skincare ad, which is supposed to look like a real life interview with two makeup professionals. There's Bobbi Brown claiming she no longer wears foundation now that she uses this moisturizer. Then, Bobbi, why launch a new cream foundation under your Jones Road brand if you would no longer need foundation just by using this cream? Annoying. Annoying. Annoying.

[@thefinancialdiet]

Lotta layers of cognitive dissonance going on here (or just blatant not caring lol)!

[@dearinlove]

THIS IS 100% TRUE.

[@seabreeze4559]

charlotte tilburry has a filler face but credits her skin cream GURL

[@seabreeze4559]

@@thefinancialdiet if you look into the ASA people think it's a UK gov body but it's not I was shocked to find this out Advertising Standards Agency is basically owned by the corporations as a protection racket for them.

[@vainglory5346]

I mostly agree with you, but wanted to comment on the Bobbi Brown topic. (Note: I'm not a particular fan or detractor of BB, and have actually never bought anything from either of her lines.) I don't see what the moisturizer thing has to do with the Jones Road foundation. It's not like she is creating products for her own personal use only - of course a complete makeup line would include a foundation or other base-type product - sometimes several different ones. It wouldn't make sense to exclude a base product from one line because she likes a product from her other line. There is room in the market for a lot of variety, and although I'd never buy it myself, the JR base product actually looks a little unique/different from other products available on the market (which isn't always the case).

[@clairewillow6475]

That whole Fyre Festival thing a few years ago happened in part because those models didn’t disclose that their posts were an advertisement.

[@sd-ch2cq]

People assumed that Fyre was vetted by these stars and their teams (if only to protect their own reputation). But no, they'll plug whoever pays them.

[@MsRho-jf7re]

Curious- does an influencer really buy anything with their own money when they turn around and write it off on their taxes as a “business expense”?

[@holigatis7588]

There was a picture of Kourtney Kardashian getting here makeup done and none of ot was from Kylie and Kim's line and I think thats very telling. 👀

[@vainglory5346]

Yes, it's still considered "with their own money." Money they have received from adsense, promotional contracts, or other revenue streams that we don't even know about - this is the influencer's income, ie "their money." Claiming purchased items on tax returns isn't as straight forward or lucrative as it sounds, though.

[@PeukinsPoint]

These 20 minute videos are the only way my room gets clean. Thanks Chelsea! Lol

[@jessmakesstuff]

I would love for someone to examine how this is also happening in the self-publishing world - these days I’m seeing more and more very slick looking self-published books with a massive following and lots of reviews, and yet the books read like a twelve year old wrote them. A little bit of digging finds that the reviews and advertising are being done by other self-published authors in a kind of round Robin “you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours” sort of way. It’s been driving me crazy for a few years and actually drove me away from self-publishing and turned me off of writing altogether for a while as the procedures are so deceitful.

[@joanne1375]

That's interesting, what a weird little rabbit hole.

[@elipotter369]

Interesting. I read a book a few years ago that looked legitimate, but it became really obvious it was not edited, and then it degenerated into whinging scrappy journalling - so I googled it and sure enough, it was a vanity publishing company. However, very occasionally, self publishing produces a worthy book.

[@cameronjournal]

There are services that allow newsletter trades between writers. Basically, you promote their book, and you promote yours. There are also companies that reach out to media companies (like myself) to do reviews, interviews, etc. There are also various social media campaigns where all the writers follow each other, and share each others content, and that can grow followings and get people aware of someone in a hurry. There are also companies that you can pay for reviews. Kirkus is the most infamous of these; even the traditional publishers use them. Lastly, people also will trade for reviews. You can give someone your book for free, and all they have to do is write a little review about it. I've done this in past releases, and it is helpful, but I don't rely on it too much. Self-publishing has given us a new way to publish writing that might not otherwise get attention but it has also allowed people to publish all sorts of low-quality crap.

[@meelamiela]

Girl wash ur face? Lol

[@user-oj5bw7sl8p]

The even bigger problem with self-publishing is the huge amount of plagiarism between the authors. Those, who are too stupid to create own stories, simply steel others' ideas, plots & heroes, hardly making any cosmetic changes to cover up their thefts.

[@thanksyahweh8777]

"Influencer" as a term pisses me off so much. Half of them don't "Influence" anything, they're just attractive based on the standards that human society has made up for itself. Like they literally don't do anything important. All they are: the lead sheep that the other sheep put on a pedestal for reasons I will never be able to know.

[@xpsxps1339]

Naaah, lol. You know the reason - MONEYYYYY....!

[@almal4940]

Omg TFD you’ve done it again. I write a blog about pseudoscience in the health and wellness space and it’s been damn near impossible to monetize because I refuse to help advertisers manufacture insecurities to sell their stuff. Thank you for calling attention to this!!

[@HyuugaC0bicat]

it sounds like a blog id like to read! where do i find it?

[@dionnelatham4401]

@@HyuugaC0bicat right! Share the link!

[@LarnieRadek]

Same, I want to read it!

[@shaynaloveswiss1]

Share the links and get on Patreon!

[@kaynichelle7982]

This is such an excellent point. I pay for You Tube premium specifically because I hate being bombarded with ads, but more and more videos have ads built into them with sponsorships so really I can’t ever escape them. 😭

[@dj-veine]

The last couple of weeks I've been off social media entirely. I've been struggling to understand why I felt such an aversion lately and all I had a grasp on were two things. 1. I NEED to scroll in order to see posts of my friends and inspirational people. 2. for every one genuine post I would see 3-4 depictions of product ads or unrealistic expectations for something as simple as journaling. This video has actually helped me wrap my head around what my feelings have been telling me. I don't like to think of myself has a content creator because my internet content (essentially anything tossed into the void of media consumption) is where the most of my creativity goes compared to IRL experiences. But having to be a presence on the internet for my personal goals, doing what I do, is draining. But like you pointed out, when done mindfully, genuinely, and disclosed properly is an aspiration to strive for.

[@sd-ch2cq]

Children have wanted to become 'celebrities' or 'artists' before the internet was around: a combination of social status and easy money

[@ExiledStardust]

Anyone who's ever actually tried to be an artist knows it confers no social status or easy money to anyone who doesn't already possess those things. Kinda like how banks won't loan you money unless you can prove that you don't really need it.

[@shelleynichols9626]

Regarding [cow patties] peddled to older women: I would love a deep dive with a medical professional about the crap being shilled to peri menopausal women on how to “hack your metabolism!” and “fructose is the devil!” and “all women over 40 are insulin resistant!” and “intermittent fasting is ONLY CORRECT way to feed yourself!” Dr. Stacy Sims is a big name in this space, probably a good place to start. Thanks for considering! Love TFD ❤️

[@n.m.8728]

i am definitely an “extreme” ad blocker. Not only do I use common ad blockers but i also stay off almost all social media (youtube is the only exception. here i can fast forward past the ads.)

[@Celcey24]

You may want to consider turning ads on for KZbin and free news websites. The creators depend on that money to do their job, especially individual KZbin creators. With KZbin, it's not like you're pirating from a giant conglomerate, you're stealing from an individual person (or in TFD's case, a small business). With news, print news is getting less lucrative by the day, but we depend on those sites to be the fourth estate of government.

[@saschamayer4050]

I do the same and l cannot recommend it enough. I do not tolerate any advertising. My time and my attention are precious. And l will not buy anything based on advertising, anyway. If l even remember the brand or product, l will decidedly NOT buy it.

[@ExiledStardust]

@@Celcey24 No. Ad blocking isn't stealing from anyone, thanks. Advertisers do not have the right to our brain space, and denying them access is not oppressing them.

[@n.m.8728]

@@Celcey24 I pay for subscriptions to news sources that i trust, and several youtube creators who i follow have specifically noted that brands do not have access to data about how many people fast forward through in-video ad reads (inserted ad breaks are a different story).

[@n.m.8728]

@@saschamayer4050 my personal belief is, if i didn’t want it before i saw the ad, then i do not need and will not buy it!

[@t3tsuyaguy1]

So, I know that all youtube channels really need their sponsorship deals to make ends meet. I will totally keep watching you regardless of how you respond to this comment. I want to let you know that I think Avast is a pretty unethical company. They engage in a lot of shady and underhanded practices to basically trick people into installing their product, without even realizing they are doing it. Worst of all, they've worked out these tactics in such a way that it ends up turning off Windows Defender without you realizing it. If you aren't the type to monitor your system regularly you may not find out you're running a new antivirus program until it causes a problem. I encourage you not to work with them in the future. That said. I'll keep watching regardless. I dislike when fans try to force creators to do things by holding their view hostage.

[@Abigail-ny1no]

Yeah... for Cyber Monday I bought a multi-year subscription, only to find it doesn't work in China. That isn't their fault; the government here routinely targets VPNs. The problem was when I had to go through 5+ emails and eventually adopt a legally threatening tone to get them to refund my money inside the 30-day guaranteed window. I didn't even realize that I still had some of their software installed (the free version) until pop up ads tried to freak me out about my virus protection and pressure me into buying six months after I unsubscribed! So annoying.

[@babymia334]

I agree, every so often when I need to update my browser, Avast sneaks in a request to install. If you don't read all of the instructions carefully, you will end up installing it instead of declining.

[@tiaqmal4224]

I’ve gotten to the point where anytime an influencer talks about anything, I just assume it’s either sponsored or affiliated.

[@user-yu9lg1zx6q]

I live in Germany, and here they are very strict with sponsored content on Instagram. If you even mention a brand, you should mark your post as an ad, or you can have a big penalty. I think it is the reason why there aren’t so much „influencers“.

[@sim771]

Saying you want to be an influencer is the same as wanting to be a sample person at costco.

[@danielsimmich1858]

Except the sample person at Costco is a pillar of society whereas influencers are parasites

[@AG-vh3lx]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@thefoodproject7559]

The sample person at Costco gives me free food without any gains for themselves, influencers want the purchase, and subscribers and fame. I love free food dislike pick me ppl on social media.

[@minimalcharlotte8516]

Only that I'm sure that a successful influencer earns a lot more money than the Costco employee..

[@danielsimmich1858]

@@minimalcharlotte8516Landlords earn more than Janitors. Wage doesn’t indicate value

[@rabidfollower]

I used to use Avast but have stopped because Windows 10's built-in antivirus tool Windows Defender has become pretty good already. Most Windows users nowadays, especially the newer generations, use only Windows Defender and don't use any third-party AV tool like McAfee or Norton. Today's browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge are also much improved to handle trackers, malware sites and the likes. Most PCs today really don't need extra AV tools. Yes, there was a time when they were truly essential, but that era was long gone.

[@Kayla_P99]

McAfree is almost a virus in it's own right

[@saschamayer4050]

Yep. 😎👍

[@cynthiambelete2694]

I agree

[@TheSimArchitect]

The problem is when you have a media like KZbin that charges you a fee to remove ads, but then creators embed sponsored content because they're not happy with their adsense revenue without being required by KZbin to time code their sponsored segments and without KZbin adding functionality for that content to be automatically skipped (and to report creators that don't include that information before publishing). Maybe the majority of people use the platform "for free" and they're expected to see ads to "pay" for the content, but KZbin's Premium users make a conscious choice to pay a monthly fee to get rid of them, because ads are annoying and they're also bad for your personal finances as they incentivize consumption (they may be great for society, for the productive chain, the economy, whatever, but they're surely bad for the consumer). Organic content that's linked to the content may be less intrusive or it may be even more toxic like when you watch a financial youtube telling people to invest in crypto or "physical gold" (as if you could go to a store or your landlord with a bunch of overpriced gold coins, har har har) while having affiliate links for those "reliable services". When the affiliate link is the reason for the content the content becomes illegitimate. If it's a makeup reviewing different products every week and sharing affiliated links for the items they're testing it's an entire different situation and I believe most people don't frown upon that, specially if the links are in the description and the creator isn't soliciting people to use those links multiple times etc.

[@argusfleibeit1165]

AdBlocker is your friend.

[@Abigail-ny1no]

"When the affiliate link is the reason for the content the content becomes illegitimate." Well-said.

[@ruled_by_pluto]

re: what you said at the end! about influencers being "hired" as unpaid interns, expected to leverage their social networks to promote the company. this is something i have recently encountered after being laid off from my normal 9-5 job. i worked for a couple of entrepreneurs with really small startups or plans for businesses in the early stages. the biggest red flag was when i started to get the feeling they wanted to justify getting access to my network of family, friends, and business contacts. not only is that dangerous to one's reputation if something goes wrong, but they could scam one's family, friends, and business contacts and if you don't know them well yet, you don't know that they won't. social media is just one way to do that. if somebody starts to do that, protect yourself. in my experience, they are about to fire you because they can't afford to pay you, and they want to get as much out of you as they can before they do.

[@maryjoe1595]

Chelsea mentioning Trixie Mattel- my life is complete! Great video as always :)

[@xiggywiggs]

I think my favorite part of your content is that I get to see a completely different side to the internet from what my silo serves up to me. I'm not on instagram (yet.. I waffle back and forth on whether to get in on it - I mostly get my fix from youtube, podcasts and twitter) I mostly stick to maker content everywhere as well, and it seems like that crowd is maybe a little more generally responsible with spon con than other 'influencers' but honestly I think the best protection/advice is to just be very skeptical. In the movie rounders there's this line I love, "if you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, you are the sucker." on the internet, it's important to remember if you aren't explicitly paying for the product, then either you're the product or someone else is paying for it on your behalf, and it behooves you to wonder why.

[@brookes4802]

You might “need” to be 13 to join Instagram etc but sadly children much much younger than this are spending a significant amount of time on social media too.

[@Creamy_Goodness]

Such a good topic. Especially in the makeup / skincare realm, the not properly disclosed sponsored posts are the absolute scrouge (**cough** trendmood **cough**)

[@jessicamilburn5585]

I had a friend that was genuinely showing how to shop on a budget at a stor at the mall and was contacted by said company to be an influencer for them. They even sent her a fake invoice to show how she got her discounts for over $2000 worth of clothes they gave her. I didn't know how to tell her I hate influencers even though I do watch some for mindless entertainment.

[@sarahjones3407]

It's relevant too that an older generation doesn't understand how these sponsored posts are ads- I had an assignment in college where we were supposed to find an ad and write about it. I wanted to write about one of these sponsored posts- my professor didn't think it was an actual ad and didn't consider it the same kind of marketing. He only thought traditional ads that are created by marketing companies for, say, billboards are legitimate ads and these sorts of sponsored posts were just people expressing their opinions.

[@anne-marie339]

That's kind of concerning that a professor in (I assume) a field like marketing, communications, or anything related wouldn't understand the social media advertising process :/

[@CF.]

Boomers 😂

[@vainglory5346]

Nothing to do with the actual content, but Chelsea looks great in green. I just finished watching the interview with Kati Morton, in which she wore a gorgeous green top, and I've decided that green is definitely her color. Cheers!

[@nupt9473]

I'm very much enjoying these deeper dives into complex issues. You are helping me build a solid toolbox to make good decisions

[@mariiveli623]

Great video, thank you!

[@debbiek7193]

Rethink YOUR YT AD placements! They are numerous and very disruptive and ANNOYING Thanks 😊👍

[@Lau3464l]

I’m late to this video but TFD neeeeeds to interview trixie Mattel! I’d love to hear more about her relationship with money from growing up in severe poverty to being a multi-industry multi-venture entrepreneur and business owner, and how her drag persona is a satirical admiration of the privileged, rich, white, Barbie-Esque socialite.

[@leslievanhouten]

I have a blouse with that print. It’s from Zara and I bought it in 2008 or so.

[@LomasLifestyle]

My god this video...🤗 would love you take on influencers pushing fast fashion from amazon that they wouldn't be caught dead wearing but churning it out like it's the end of the world for those amazon affiliate links.

[@TH-eb5ro]

Agreed that it needs to be held to the same level of restriction and we need to be more discerning consumers, on many levels. The salesman is not your friend...regardless of the type of salesman. I've also noticed advertising showing up on produce. There are good BBC videos on the manipulation of the American diet and spending habits. It is all psychology motivated and many parents pass it on to their children. The most damaging for women has been that shopping is an expected hobby when a savings account and a good career are so much more valuable. An influencer is a brand, on live. We need to be aware of how our clicks contribute to things. Great video.

[@mimimurlough]

I really wish that someone would make a video on video essayist sponsorships - no saying you shouldn't have them, but that is more relevant to your audience and there is also high level of trust involved. Seeing one take on Betterhelp being a trash company one second and three endorsements for them from reputable essayists the next makes my head spin. How do you choose a company to work with? How can we trust brands we've gotten to know exclusively through youtube?

[@nataliamcuello]

The main problem for me is with the "organic" ads, that usually follow: "Oh I have this problem! Do you have this problem?" and then finally marking the brand that is going to solve that problem. Instagram, youtube vlogs, and maybe others (? i don't have any other social media). You don't know you are being advertised to until the end.

[@julianaalvarez1741]

No joke, but what if that professional influencer that influences me in terms of fashion, design, lifestyle is Chelsea?

[@TovaPaul]

Your blouse is GORGEOUS! I am dying to know where you got it, Chelsea!

[@martynabeh6625]

Thanks for your informative and objective content videos. Lots of love from Germany 🤍

[@mantapjava]

Sadly, my guess is that the demographic most affected by influencers probably aren't watching this video.

[@msjodikat]

Being keenly aware of this has made me the Debbie downer of moms. “Honey you realize they’re just trying to sell you stuff, right?” 🙄

[@inthevault9603]

Okay, this is probably the wrong place to ask but where did you get that blouse? I ❤️ it! 😊😂

[@karolinaks4192]

I clicked for the content- but your blouse is so pretty!!!!

[@yothiga]

I work in the related fields but I still fall for advertising agency,lol. It’s a hard fight since we already gravitate to beautiful things but now it’s a full subliminal message. Saw beautiful things 5 times and now we feel emotionally connected to that product.

[@8rainbowcaterpillar]

Leveraging your humanity in an attempt to work for big companies is very real and multifaceted

[@chidenisee]

This is why I only follow people with explicit sponsorship titles on their videos. I got caught up for 2 years. Now I am a minimalist and I rarely buy anything unless it's something I have a need for.

[@aleks-33]

You like Trixie!!!! Please have her on for a podcast. Would be fascinating. Maybe her and her husband(? Boyfriend.) David.

[@akirebara]

OMG that would be AMAZING. Because she started out oaky, pokey, smokey and not a jokey kind of poor to basically one of the richest drag queens in the world. I've always wondered if she and David have investments (outside of the current Trixie Motel)

[@LifeLiberty614]

Ironic because of the video topic, but I am in love with your blouse and am very interested in where you found it. The color combo is gorgeous on you.

[@youweremymuse]

I used to follow a small alternative influencer on KZbin. She seems really cool and down to earth and I loved her style. Then she posted an ad video about getting thigh gap surgery. I was floored. Its one the to get PS and post about your experience, but this video was a shameless advertisement. She was outright encouraging her viewers to find their insecurities and fix it with surgery. I lost every ounce of respect I had for her.

[@skankfaceBECCA]

This is actually why I have stopped following alternative brands, influencers and being a part of that fashion community. I got so sick of alt and goth communities saying they were different, or acting like they were better than traditional fashion tastes. When the truth is theyre just as capitalized, and just as shallow. It made me grow out of that fashion phase in my life when I realized they were just as shitty as the preppy boho mom blog influencers selling goop.

[@FrttFF]

Wow, this is a good example

[@qnnnnn3557]

I tried to find her by searching thigh gap surgery on KZbin and oh my god don’t do it if you aren’t ready for some explicit thumbnails 😭

[@sd-ch2cq]

It's depressing: so much "alternative" stuff is really just niche-marketing and 100% part of the capitalistic hype machine

[@BelWatson]

What can we do about influencers of other countries? I’ve seen some local creators in my country that started sharing their pictures and now every photo is “recommending” something different but there’s no “ad” hashtag or anything

[@Melissa0774]

The thing that annoys me is all those weird commercials they have now, with the obvious fake computer voice, where they show some questionable new product that probably doesn't work and they make dubious claims about doctors recommending it or something.. I want to know who is making those and if something like the FTC will ever crack down on them.

[@matthiaskrause1155]

It may be worth noting that the James Bond still at 6:42 does not only show off the Heineken - but also the Omega watches worn by Bond and Felix Leiter.

[@kiterafrey]

OMG that IG post. I'm rolling on the floor.

[@notme7090]

Social media has added a mixed bag of norms to our society but one that comes to the top of my mind is the need for critical thinking. We should be questioning everything that flashes in front of our eyes because we all know THAT PERSON who loves to post complete nonsense. Just extend this to influencers and advertising, as well as the items you're purchasing.

[@PoetryGirl]

I love your content. However, I find it ironic you chose this topic while you advertised Avast and your own members only section on KZbin. 😏

[@saschamayer4050]

I think so, too. 😏

[@msg5352]

The issue is she was totally upfront about it. Not everyone is.

[@bink865]

Could be worse

[@saschamayer4050]

@@bink865 Could be a Paul.

[@Chris-tg3qy]

I thought the same thing too, but the funny thing is that nobody expects well known actors and actresses to use the products they are paid to advertise on a daily basis. I have no doubt that Jennifer Aniston has used an aveeno product on occasion or that Giselle has used pantene, but do I really think those are their “go to” brands for skin and hair care? No. So, I don’t get upset when it comes to KZbin influencers who make much less peddling a product. I don’t think I should put a higher standard of ethics on them. I prefer to look at unsponsored videos and reviews before purchasing a product. They are more honest, but I won’t begrudge an influencer making an infomercial in exchange for money because so many wealthy celebrities do it everyday and it has been accepted. I won’t buy something just because an influencer or celebrity advertises it.

[@nicholemalloy4694]

I worked at a huge dog day care that had up to 200 dogs a day in separate size groups. I did like that job, but they were disingenuous with their reviews. They would give anyone a free day stay for their dog if they made a five star review and printed it out and brought it in. With it being almost $40 a day to play we got flooded with five star reviews even from people who wanted a free first time stay and hadn’t experienced the place yet.

[@carak4356]

That is juts crazy! And especially interesting because we lost our pet sitter when they moved and it has been soooo hard to find someone. Everyone has great reviews but then the real experience is so below average. I loved this bit of insight!

[@SolotravelwithDrNk]

The irony is the very same video starts with a sponsored content 😛

[@mangajag]

okay I may have the logo tattoos.. I did not expect to be mentioned like this xD

[@michellem1700]

Yes, I'm so tired of being sold to I miss the days of real people sharing honestly. I roll my eyes and move on or take it with a grain of salt.

[@b.c.9358]

The Welsh brothers are excellent at disclosing

[@diverstalent]

Yes!!

[@Mrslovett007]

The All That Theme song has medicinal effects on my mood

[@FireballRocketToys]

That shirt looks so beautiful with your skin and hair color!!!

[@kiterafrey]

And the number of fake Gurus who try and convince people to get rich quick on affiliate marketing by selling you to sign up for a blue host website with THEIR undisclosed affiliate link and then join Amazon affiliates and blog about products is INSANE.

[@Avi2Nyan]

I actually have an add-on that blocks out sponsored content within videos Makes listening hands-free much more pleasant and I never have to listen to Adam Ragusea try to sell my some app or earbuds ever again

[@Avi2Nyan]

Of course this doesn't block fully sponsored content like sponsored product reviews, but I avoid those like the plague anyway :')

[@Katiediddance]

Thank you for this, I've been thinking of starting a Vlog/KZbin channel and this is great information. As a side note, I LOVE THE BLOUSE! Very pretty on you!

[@josereyes7465]

I'm waiting to see what Trinity The Tuck's role is in this video lol

[@meaghanorlinski8464]

The whole RPDR franchise is a whole advertisement for filler and botox. Despite encouraging people to vote and some vague episodes on social change, the franchise is a celebration of consumerism and capitalism. I love it and watch it, but its very blatant.

[@NatySpaghetti]

Same!

[@ivanadelaguila9645]

I would love a TFD x Trixie Mattel video

[@PrincessDie187]

Your hair looks great

Amazon links are the worst, if you click on one, the influencer gets cash from more than the item they link, it's stuck on your computer and they will get money for anything you buy on Amazon, even in the future.

[@JENNerationX]

If the things you see work for you - can’t be blamed on the influencers people are responsible for their own choices - I’m grateful for the links for some of the things that people use as I enjoy those hacks - one has to do their own research also to see the best choice. #criticalthinking

[@m.m.schill4579]

I love that blouse so much

[@ceciliab5409]

How do I see the video? I am a member and I can't see it

[@sherenepopa2791]

Great Video! Love the floral top, where is it from?

[@Usagilover]

Right? It’s gorgeous!

[@Okkkkkkk-ol5kz]

What the heck I literally just watched that sponsored Trixie Mattel video like an hour ago… Chelsea you mind reading wizard

[@SariniyaKiyu]

How did these people watch a 23min video in 2 mins, i will never know.

[@YourMajesty143]

@@Amandinhad15 - Just another place on the interwebs to feel poor lol, memberships separate the haves from the have-nots 😂 One day when I'm no longer unemployed, I will hopefully join the ranks of TFD members, one day....

[@ExiledStardust]

They skipped all the ads.

[@laurenberlin4502]

This analysis really reminds me of content from Abbey Sharp - I'd love to see a collab with her, maybe on TFC?

[@aleksandardebeljkovic1189]

Can’t believe Trinity the Tuck made it here

[@NatySpaghetti]

I have gone on the comments just to know why trinity is here lol

[@cameronanderson]

Disappointed there was SponConnery joke when you mentioned James Bond

[@Tara-dc7mb]

Hi Chelsea. I love your shirt, where did you get it?

[@slawbrina]

Thank you for always saying what needs to be said so correctly and nicely that I can link it to other people

[@blakeearth]

Interesting that I bet the businesses sponsoring the influencers benefit from the lack of disclosure. Whose responsibility is it to make sure the ads are responsible?

[@LindsPatz10]

Cigarette reviews?! Guess I know what I’m watching next lol

[@AllPeopleUnite]

The ads in general are out of control, on KZbin, Podcasts, etc. What used to be a barely noticeable feature of hearing or seeing an ad once in a while is now constant: with YT it's 2 videos in front of every video and then throughout, and I have podcasts that are 45 minutes long and then 25 minutes of ad breaks. Meanwhile on US TV the amount of commercials keeps growing, an hour long show used to have 12 minutes of commercials, now it's 22 minutes. Constantly being sold to and interrupted is awful. And the ultimate piss take of monitizing videos and running ads while also having in-video ads and or sponsored content.

[@krk6216]

The irony of this video borders on hipocrisy. Started immediately with a sponsorship and then the TFD subscription/membership is shilled just a few minutes later. While I value this being called out and discussed… that call is coming from inside the house. 🏡

[@parkerlynne]

lol @ Trixie Mattel and her easy bake oven shenanigans. But also, where is that shirt from? It's GORGEOUS!

[@jamkwasowski5207]

"Collaborating to do a BBL" is the most chilling idea

[@nannyboo9832]

it’s always easy for influencers to shill products when they don’t have to spend their own money on it

[@thefoodproject7559]

Oh I realized it...I believe before most ppl.

[@FranMariee]

“When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.” Confucius

[@mimismithson5372]

It’s funny you say this, today I saw an Ad which was disclosed as an Ad, but it was for Elvive strengthening products and the influencer was promoting it under the guise of “preventing post natal hair loss” as she is due to give birth. The comments were flooded with hair professionals who not only said Elvive is actually very bad for your hair, but Anti Breakage shampoo, or ANY shampoo, will NOT prevent nor stop the effects of post natal hair loss. Although misguided I don’t believe she intended to cause any harm, I just think influencers should think a little bit more about how falsely advertising shampoo to regular mothers suffering with hair loss can be so damaging!!!

[@tammys5687]

I think the "job" of influencer will only go away when people stop clicking the links and buying products through them. Is that going to happen anytime soon? Probably not.

[@aedooland1824]

That's a nice blouse/lippy combo tbh

[@alecoloxa]

11:20 rule #1 for me, follow people that has something to talk about not just "I want to be famous" people