Introduction
Internet fame is different from regular fame. In the good old days, one had to become a movie star, a television personality, a newspaper page-three model or a theater actress. However, with the internet, it is now possible to gain fame by posting a video online, or photo or article. Social media has given many people the opportunity to monetize their hobby.
The dark side of internet fame is mostly unknown to the public. When you have a million followers, hundreds of likes and comments on your posts, brand deals and opportunities, it seems that having internet fame is a dream come true. However, it hides a price – internet celebrities often encounter problems with privacy, online harassment and judgment, and constant pressure to produce content.
When Your Private Life Becomes Public Property
Internet fame is a blessing and a curse. When one has internet fame, there is a price to pay. First of all, if you want to gain popularity, you have to share your private life. That is why many internet celebrities encounter issues with online harassment, judgment, and privacy. Some people believe that all the private details of a celebrity’s life are fair game. Others go as far as trying to find out where that person lives or works.
The Issue of Online Hate
Internet celebrities often encounter issues with online hate. It is easy to get likes and positive comments when you post online, but sometimes you may receive the opposite. It is normal to get negative comments as a reaction to your post, but sometimes negativity manifests itself in other ways. It is impossible for an internet celebrity to be perfect all the time, so some people use this against them. People may criticize the creator for their appearance, voice, or clothes. Sometimes internet celebrities get harassed for the things that have nothing to do with them, such as family members and close people. People have free time, so they use it to troll internet celebrities instead of doing something more productive. One may think that these are just negative comments and nothing more, but hate is always personal_, even when it is not directed at you specifically. Behind every comment, there is a living and thinking person. It may seem that an internet celebrity is always perfect, happy, and charming, but in reality, their private life and personal appearance are completely different.
The Pressure to Always Stay Relevant
Internet fame is short-lived, so one has to constantly produce new content in order to keep their following. Today, there are many social media platforms, and each of them has its own algorithm. Internet celebrities often feel like they have to constantly update their content in order to keep up with trends, algorithms, and their fans’ expectations. Moreover, it is hard to take a break because you may lose your following due to inactivity. Internet celebrities are always on a thin thread – either they go viral and become famous, or they are forgotten by everyone because they updated their account too rarely. People often do not post content because they feel like they have to, not because they want to. Internet fame takes much effort because one has to always be relevant, entertaining, and up-to-date.
Burnout Behind the Screen
Internet celebrities’ lives may be interesting and glamorous, but behind the screen, everything is completely different. People often forget that the creator is also a human with feelings and needs. It may be emotionally and physically exhausting to make content for other people. Moreover, people have to put much effort into making their content entertaining and relevant.
The worst thing about internet fame is that the audience may think that the creator always has to update their content and that it has nothing to do with them. People have to accept that internet celebrities are real people too with their own limitations and needs.
When the Audience Feels Entitled
Internet fame often means that people have many followers and are famous personalities. However, it does not mean that everyone has to know everything about them. Many internet celebrities encounter the issue of being too open with their audience. Sometimes their fans begin to feel entitled to personal information about the creator. It may be helpful to remember that internet celebrities are people too, and they have the right to keep their private life private. Moreover, an internet celebrity should be able to control what they share with their followers and when they do it. People think that just because someone has millions of followers, they are obliged to disclose personal information, but it is not true. An internet celebrity is doing this because they want to, not because they have to.
In addition, when an internet celebrity is doing their job, they have to be entertaining and provide content for their audience. The worst thing is that an internet celebrity cannot take a break because their followers will not be entertained. This is why people should remember that an internet celebrity is also a human being who needs rest and time for themselves.
The Algorithm Is Not Your Friend
When one wants to get internet fame and many followers, they often forget that social media platforms work with algorithms. These algorithms determine what kind of content becomes popular and what does not. Internet celebrities often forget that they cannot just post whatever they want – sometimes they have to make more divisive and judgmental content in order to get the attention of their audience. The algorithm often works against you, so it is important to understand how it works. Internet celebrities may have to constantly adapt and update their content in order to attract the attention of their followers.
Fame Is Not Always Freedom
Internet fame and internet celebrities are fascinating because social media gave everyone a chance to show their skills to the world. However, the price of internet fame is often too high. Internet celebrities may feel like they do not have privacy and everything they do is public property, which may be emotionally taxing. Moreover, they often encounter online hate from people who do not know them from real life. Internet celebrities may also be emotionally drained from constantly producing content, especially if they started doing it for the wrong reasons. While many internet celebrities have many followers, they may also be lonely because of their fame. People should be aware that social media often takes much emotional energy from people, so it is important to keep a balance between the online and offline world.
