Influencers weaponized the bot purge to perform authenticity.

Evidence

To encourage followers to empathize, Influencers asked followers to report on their own “loss” as an act of commiseration, to reiterate that “small losses” are normal, and to diffuse attention from Influencers’ own “drop counts.” By gloating over rivals’ losses, redeeming themselves from previous accusations, and disclosing taboo contemplations, these Influencers manage to manipulate the Purge to perform wearing guises of authenticity for their followers. — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 236

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes the notion that authenticity is itself a manufactured commodity — a running thread through Abidin’s work and also H&M Naqvi-era discussions of networked identity. — connects to: Instagram’s 2014 bot purge pushed Influencers to perform authenticity strategically. — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 235; Influencer authenticity is an arms race where breakdown videos become brand content — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror…, 206; Fake authenticity backstories exploit the internet’s democratizing promise (+1 more)
• DEEPTHINKING: Not quite top 5% — this is a well-argued observation about performance but doesn’t resist summary.

Broader Connections

• In influencer culture authenticity gets redefined as total publicity rather than lack of artifice. #expands (0.92) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 613
• Influencer authenticity is an arms race where breakdown videos become brand content #exemplifies (0.85) — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, 206
• Fake authenticity backstories exploit the internet’s democratizing promise #exemplifies (0.78)