# Reading Response 4
## Authenticity, work and influence

I could not care less about which influencer landed a sponsorship with the "hottest" new product. Seeing branded and sponsored posts has never made me want to buy the product. In fact, seeing a brand deal post makes me feel more inclined to *not* buy that product. I think my overarching sense of distaste for this content stems from the inauthenticity across all social media. I even find it hypocritical at times. Take the Kardashians, for example. The Kardashians are infamous for photoshopping and altering their photos before posting them online. And no matter how many times "trolls" call them out for it, you can guarantee their next posts will be the same. Yet, despite their inauthenticity, they are quick to post about brands they "love" and products they "cannot live without." How are we, as viewers, supposed to believe in the integrity of a product when it is being marketed to us by people who cannot even be authentic with themselves? This makes potential customers question both the product and the brand when celebrities who are only in it for the money try to sell us something by promising their blessing. All this being said, I was not surprised to read about fake sponsorship posts in The Atlantic article. Because money and popularity are associated with people like the Kardashians, I'm not surprised people will do or say anything they can to try and climb to that level. Although I was happy to see the shift in content during Covid and the Black Lives Matter protests, it shouldn't really have to come to a life-altering point for people to post about things that actually matter. Suddenly referring to their content as "authentic" when referring to protests and the pandemic makes me question the truthfulness of their content before. The fact is, people should always be authentic online no matter what is going on in the world. Social media can be used as a place to spread donations, world news, and information, not a place to be told which phony fat-burning shake will show results fastest or which lip-gloss is worth your money this year.