Social Media's Relentless Shopping Machine Has Created an Army of Debt-Laden Buyers (theverge.com)
- Reference: 0180333241
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/12/08/200230/social-medias-relentless-shopping-machine-has-created-an-army-of-debt-laden-buyers
- Source link: https://www.theverge.com/cs/features/836456/influencers-tiktok-debt-shopaganda
Antoinette Hocbo, a former marketing professional who knows the tricks brands use to chip away at willpower, bought a $199 Pilates program, an iPad, and an arsenal of makeup products after TikTok's algorithm served her a stream of aspirational content. The Pilates gear now sits unused. Elysia Berman accumulated over $50,000 in debt across four credit cards and four buy-now-pay-later services during the pandemic, purchasing items she never wore because influencers recommended them.
A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found 62% of adults on TikTok use the platform to find product reviews and recommendations. Marketing expert Mara Einstein told The Verge that brands now need seven exposures to prompt consumer action, up from three in the pre-social media era. The vastness of the internet has allowed available products to bloat beyond imagination.
[1] https://www.theverge.com/cs/features/836456/influencers-tiktok-debt-shopaganda
sponsored videos (Score:1)
Does nobody understand that the majority of 'review' videos are sponsored? Really?
Yawn (Score:1)
> Antoinette Hocbo, a former marketing professional who knows the tricks brands use to chip away at willpower, bought a $199 Pilates program, an iPad, and an arsenal of makeup products after TikTok's algorithm served her a stream of aspirational content.
Not my problem.
Re: Yawn (Score:2)
This kind of thing can lead to insolvency crises which can affect you.
People are sheep (Score:2)
I guess I'm a grumpy old codger, but I simply don't understand how people get sucked into stuff like that.
I buy what I need, and replace it when it breaks beyond repair. I try to get stuff of good quality, even when it costs a bit more, and I'll try to fix it if it quits. I'll buy "cheap junk" if it's something like a paint brush that I'm going to use once and throw out.
I don't know why schools don't teach financial literacy. Parents used to do that with their kids, starting with "Here's your allowance,
Re: People are sheep (Score:2)
I don't believe age to be the cause. I'm not an old codger just yet but I'm very similar in attitude. My sister of the same generation and schooling quality would much rather spend £300 getting an appliance repair man to plug in a loose cable than to even attempt it herself. She is constantly in debt buying stuff she doesn't need because she's seen it.
Re: (Score:3)
> I guess I'm a grumpy old codger, but I simply don't understand how people get sucked into stuff like that.
Also, is this really a social media thing? Isn't this more of a gullible people with no financial self-control thing? Wouldn't these types of people get suckered by any form of advertising?
You can't fix stupid. (Score:2)
Elysia Berman accumulated over $50,000 in debt across four credit cards and four buy-now-pay-later services during the pandemic, purchasing items she never wore because influencers recommended them.
If the influencers jump over a bridge, will she also?
And advertisers are COMPLAINIG???? (Score:2)
We have more people in debt than ever before due to constant advertisement on social media and we have people COMPLAIN that it got less efficient because it now needs 7 instead 3 "exposures" to "prompt consumer action"???!?!?!
7 exposures? (Score:5, Funny)
Must...buy...MongoDB...
Re: (Score:2)
Oh darn. My karma points evaporated over the weekend or I'd mod this funny,
Re: Farmers will be able to afford it at least (Score:2)
Did they actually get it? I only saw it was proposed.
Will farmers actually get it? Farm subsidies are mostly claimed by large corporations.
Buy Now pay later is a life trap! (Score:2)
Run up credit debt and Buy Now Pay Later debt now and suffer and struggle for a lifetime
It doesn't take an infuencer (Score:2)
for people to go bankrupt. It does enable them, but last time I check most everyone is responsible for what they spend. If you are stupid enough to fall for the commercial machines that are slurping up money then you are that stupid. If the majority of people would push back on companies instead of accept whatever they want to charge, then we wouldn't be where we are at today with enshitification
People deserve what they get (Score:2)
If you're that stupid/lacking willpower/whatever that you immediately go off and buy something because you saw it online, you deserve what you get.
You're an adult, supposedly with something approaching intelligence and self-control. If you're $50K in debt because you're continually buying junk, the problem is not with the influencers.*
* They're called shills. Call them what they are.
Self medicating humans (Score:1)
We're living in a fascinating era. Life is too difficult for many people, and the angst this creates leads to depression.
Some people try to eat their depression away, and some try to spend themselves out of its clutches purchasing the newest shiny thing.
Get off the scrolling treadmill, go outside, throw a ball with your dog, and last but not least, have a drink at the end of the day and kick your feet up.
What is old is new again. (Score:3)
Influencers are the new shopping channel hosts (getting you to buy junk you don't need with money you don't have).
a fool and his/her money are soon parted (Score:2)
We've developed of country of weak willed, selfish, unmotivated, entitled, arrogant Karen's/Kevin's. Gone is any notion of social obligation or civic duty. If you have to purchased shit to keep up with the Kar-trash-ians, you're an owned pawn and deserve what ever happens. There is no quip that will provide a cranial sphincter removal procedure.
Women... (Score:2)
A man will pay double for something he needs to have it right when and where he needs it. A woman will pay half price for something she doesn't need simply because "It's a good deal!" Women make purchases based on emotion. There are entire industries built around this. Cosmetics being the biggest one. Fashion being second. Hell, even plastic surgery. Women shop based on emotion. Tell them what they want to hear, and they'll pull out a credit card so fast you'll feel a shockwave.
The same industries kind of e
Re: (Score:2)
What do you do when the deck runs out while building this house of cards?
Re: (Score:3)
> What do you do when the deck runs out while building this house of cards?
Buy more cards - duh. /s :-)
Re: (Score:2)
If you're an individual you declare bankruptcy, if you're the US government you print another deck, a.k.a raise the debt limit.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Our economy is bullshit. Its based on selling people shit they already have or do not need. We build virtually nothing of value. Wall street hires entire nations to make junk no one wanted nor needed.
But hey Mother Nature is mostly done with cleaning up the mess she made when she created Homo Sapians. We should be gone in 40 years tops.
Re: (Score:2)
Then knock the ecahnamy down. Maybe it's not worth saving.