Can Social Media’s New Deinfluencing Trend Really Encourage Us To Buy Less Stuff? 

These days, it’s hard to escape the clutches of influencer culture that in many ways defines our digital landscape – from outfit of the day (#OOTD) posts on Instagram to paid partnerships with brands and the murky world of gifting. Over on TikTok, there are even now tutorials on how to become an influencer. Recently though, there has been a tide shift, thanks to the rise of the new “deinfluencing” trend. The hashtag, which has now had nearly 300 million views on TikTok, began with beauty influencers telling their followers which products they shouldn’t buy. It’s arguably a response to overconsumption propagated by influencers, and growing cynicism towards sponsored content (#sponcon) on social media.