What price social media influence?

As with any lucrative business, fraud has followed the rise of social media influencers. With an estimated 15 percent of influencer followers being fake, fraud is expected to cost businesses over 1 billion dollars this year. (Dom McKenzie /AN)
Updated 23 August 2019
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What price social media influence?

  • The use of fake followers to justify exorbitant fees raises questions about the influencer business model

ABU DHABI: In the age of the social media influencer, the phenomenon and the power of “likes” have been driving brands to sign up a handful of users for huge sums to reach out to the masses.

A single post or a picture by an “influencer” — such as a fitness guru, beauty blogger or fashion expert — can rake it in. In the Middle East, such elite users command astronomical fees with their appeal to a region that is home to a digitally empowered Arab youth.

But as with any lucrative business, fraud has followed.

Influencer fraud, in which celebrities acquire fake followers to create fake personas on platforms such as Instagram to inflate their fan base, is expected to cost businesses $1.3 billion (SR4.8 billion) this year, according to research from cybersecurity firm Cheq. The study found that at least 15 percent of all influencers’ followers were fake.

“It’s a huge waste,” said economist Roberto Cavazos, a University of Baltimore professor who conducted the analysis for Cheq, noting that his estimate is conservative.

Companies worldwide spend an estimated $8.5 billion annually to persuade influencers to market their products, according to Mediakix, an influencer-marketing firm.

Cavazos estimates about 15 percent of the corporate dollars spent daily are lost to influencer fraud.

He said the phenomenon of “vanity metrics” explains why many marketing companies have welcomed the recent move by Instagram to crack down on influencer fraud.

Fake accounts are banned on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, and the company has recently started testing a design tweak that will no longer show the total number of “likes” other users’ posts have received.

Initially launched in Canada, it also being rolled out to users in six other countries: Ireland, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

Since the advent of social media, business marketing has gone through an overhaul, with the focus increasingly on billions of online users.

In Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, social media influencers have become one of the most important marketing tools for businesses to enhance awareness of their brands. In the Arab world alone, there are about 164 million active Facebook users, in addition to more than 200 YouTube channels with over a million subscribers.

Around 30,000 Middle East-based YouTubers have more than 10,000 followers. There are also about 12 million daily Snapchat users in the GCC, including 9 million in Saudi Arabia and 1 million in the UAE.

Kirsty O’Connor, director of content and publishing at Hill+Knowlton MENA, said the transformation of business marketing has allowed fake influencers to take advantage of brands’ desire to engage a young MENA audience online.

Influencer fraud can be described as a “social media publisher deceiving a brand or partner into thinking they are reaching and engaging with an audience that is not there,” she said.

The most common fraud, said O’Connor, is fake followers, or “bots,” including engagement that involves paying a “bot farm” — a computer robot — to mass “like” pages or posts.

Within the Middle East, O’Connor said influencer fraud is far easier to detect than in Western markets.

“Marketers and communicators have played their part in this, by first starting to benchmark influencers based on their follower number or engagement rate. ‘How many followers do they have?’ was — and still can be — a measure to decide whether to engage with an influencer, which for me needs to be stamped out.”

According to Aaron Brooks, co-founder of Middle East-based mobile content and influencer marketing platform Vamp, for anyone close to the influencer-marketing industry, “fake followers are old news.”

“It’s something platforms like Vamp, and Instagram itself, have been cracking down on for years,” he said. “The fact that someone has slapped a valuation on its impact has only brought the issue back in focus.”

Brooks says brands rely on “reach” for their products, even though this is an outdated metric.

“But marketers are still plowing their money into influencers with large followings, without doing due diligence on whether they are actually real, and are likely to be losing money,” he told Arab News.

“Fake followers cannot deliver a return on investment. Brands should also be aiming higher when it comes to the results of an influencer-marketing collaboration.”

He is clear about the way out: “Unless a campaign’s success hinges solely on visible engagement, nothing much will change,” he said. “What will change is the industry’s need to focus on solid return on investment to justify itself.”

According to O’Connor, the pressure on influencers to have millions of followers results in large bot followings in the region.

“The issue with a bot following is they are not real, so they don’t engage with your content like a human would, giving you a low number of ‘likes’ or comments on posts,” she said.

“Influencers then need to buy their ‘likes’ and comments to keep their following vs engagement percentage attractive to marketers.”

This becomes a cycle of buying fake followers, O’Connor said, adding that no influencer should be paid large amounts without sharing legitimate data about their following.

Experts have said they can identify fake accounts using several indicators. Takumi, a marketing agency, said these included large groups of followers, such as a 15,000 batch of fans following overnight. Other signs are large followings from countries such as India, Brazil and Mexico, “where bot farms are commonly located.”

O’Connor said an interesting development for the Middle East was the introduction by the UAE in January of an “influencer license.” All social media influencers must now have a license from the UAE’s National Media Council if they are commercializing their page.

“This is a great move to regulate influencers while also holding them accountable to local media and advertising laws,” she said. “It is similar to the US and UK where influencers have to disclose paid-for work as advertising to meet standards and protect the consumer.”




In January, the UAE introduced an “influence license,” which social media users must have before they commercialize their pages.
(Shutterstock)

“I hope to see this rolled out into other Middle East markets to ensure unity across influencer-marketing regulations.”

O’Connor said that Instagram’s recent move strengthens her belief that counting followers and “likes” to measure influencers is no longer viable.

“There should be a lot of focus on how we measure our work with influencers, and also pressure on influencers and Facebook to share their data before, during and after campaigns.

“Removing ‘likes’ from posts will make it harder to spot fake followings as this will amount to hiding a key engagement metric.”

O’Connor said that the role of influencers is far from over, but is in a state of “evolve or die.”

Brooks agrees, but cautions that all social media influencers should not be tarred with the same brush.

“Luckily, there are so many amazing influencers to partner with,” he told Arab News. “There are just as many creative, professional and authentic influencers as there are wannabes with falsely inflated followings. A considered selection process is key.”

A genuine following should be the minimum requirement for brands partnering with influencers.

“Advanced analytics can now tell a brand where an influencer’s following is based and how old they are, so marketers can target their customers with precision.

“Relevance is essential for an effective campaign. Brand ambassadors have been — and will always be — an effective marketing tactic,” he said.

 


Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists

Updated 59 min 44 sec ago
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Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists

  • The Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Studies found that since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza war has killed more journalists than all major US wars combined
  • Report warns that increasing threats against journalists not only endanger individuals but also undermine global news coverage, facilitate the creation of ‘news graveyards’

LONDON: A report released Tuesday by the Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Studies in the US has found that Israel’s war on Gaza is the “worst ever conflict” for journalists, with at least 208 Palestinian media workers killed since October 2023.

Titled “News Graveyards: How Dangers to War Reporters Endanger the World,” the study examines the toll of war on journalists, as well as broader trends in the US news industry that have weakened international coverage. It highlights how Gaza has seen an unprecedented death toll among journalists, far exceeding that of other conflicts in history.

“Attacks on journalists have exacerbated long term socio-economic shifts that have crippled the global news industry over decades and led to the de-prioritization of international news coverage and the closure of foreign news bureaus,” noted the report.

“Across the globe, the economics of the industry, the violence of war, and coordinated censorship campaigns threaten to turn an increasing number of conflict zones into news graveyards, with Gaza being the most extreme example.”

The Brown University-based nonpartisan research project, which analyzes the human, financial, and political costs of post-9/11 wars, found that “since Oct. 7, 2023, the war in Gaza has killed more journalists than the US Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan combined.”

The report also revealed that in 2024, a media worker was killed or murdered every three days worldwide — an increase from 2023’s rate of one every four days—attributed largely to the war in Gaza.

“Most reporters harmed or killed, as is the case in Gaza, are local journalists,” it added.

Late in March, Palestinian journalists Mohammad Mansour, a correspondent for Palestine Today, and Hossam Shabat, a journalist for Al-Jazeera Mubasher, became the latest media workers to be killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks. The Israeli military admitted to killing Shabat, accusing him of being “a terrorist” it had “eliminated.”

The report accuses Israel of mounting “a full-spectrum effort to undermine the free flow of information,” citing the “near-total destruction” of media infrastructure, internet blackouts, misinformation campaigns, and restrictions preventing local journalists from leaving Gaza while barring foreign reporters from entering.

It also underscores the vital role local journalists play in conflict zones, describing them as bearing witness to “the realities and horrors of wars.

“Journalists serve as the eyes and ears of the world, seeking out solid, verifiable information amid a vortex of violence and a welter of rumor, manipulation, misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda,” the report continued.

The study also references Syria’s civil war, where hundreds of journalists were killed by government forces and armed groups. The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that 700 journalists and media activists have been killed since the conflict began in 2011.

The Watson Institute report warns that increasing threats against journalists not only endanger individuals but also undermine global news coverage and the “worldwide information ecosystem.”

“The decreasing number of experienced foreign correspondents in conflict zones, due to long term shifts in the global news industry that have led to the de-prioritization of international news coverage and the closure of foreign news bureaus, has likewise crippled critical knowledge and helped facilitate the creation of news graveyards,” said the report.


Netflix expands language support on TV in accessibility push

Updated 02 April 2025
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Netflix expands language support on TV in accessibility push

  • Users are now able to access all available dubbing and subtitle options for any title, Netflix told Arab News ahead of the launch
  • “Update responds to thousands of language availability requests per month,” Netflix said

LONDON: Netflix is expanding its language support on TV, allowing users to access all available dubbing and subtitle options for any title, the company told Arab News exclusively ahead of the official announcement on Tuesday.

“As more of our members enjoy shows and films from around the world — nearly a third of all viewing on Netflix is for non-English stories — subtitles and dubbing are more important than ever,” the company said in a statement shared with Arab News ahead of the official announcement.

“That’s why starting today, you’ll be able to pick from the full list of available languages for any title when watching Netflix on your TV.”

Previously, users were limited to five to seven languages based on their settings and location. The update — which make dubbing available in 36 languages and subtitles in 33, depending on the title — responds to “thousands of language availability requests per month,” Netflix said, adding that it also benefits users learning a new language by giving them more control over their viewing experience.

“We offer several additional features to support language learning, including the ability to customize subtitles, and the ‘browse by language’ feature on PC computers. These helpful features enhance the accessibility of our shows and movies, while supporting those set on being multilingual,” the statement said.

A 2020 study commissioned by Netflix in partnership with the UN World Commission found that 36 percent of people who watched Spanish-language content were interested in learning the language, compared to 15 percent of non-viewers.

In recent years, Netflix has expanded its non-English content strategy, investing in films and series from various countries and languages. Korean and Spanish content together accounted for 16 percent of global viewership in the first half of 2024, with “Squid Game” and “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”) serving as standout examples.

Netflix is set to release four Arabic-language original series and films this year, following the success of “The Exchange,” “Al-Rawabi School for Girls,” “Honeymoonish,” “From the Ashes” and “Dubai Bling.”


US State Department orders enhanced social media screening for student and visa applicants

Updated 02 April 2025
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US State Department orders enhanced social media screening for student and visa applicants

DUBAI: The US State Department has ordered overseas officials to scour the social media accounts of some student and exchange visitor visa applicants in a bid to stop critics of the US and Israel from entering the country, say media reports.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent out a 1,700-word cable on March 25 titled “Action Request: Enhanced Screening and Social Media Vetting for Visa Applicants.” It described the process foreign service officers abroad must follow when reviewing student and exchange visitor visa applications.

Independent news site The Handbasket, which broke the story, said the cable asked consular officers to refer certain applicants to the Fraud Prevention Unit for a mandatory social media check. The enhanced vetting applies to those suspected of having terrorist ties or sympathies, those who held a student or exchange visa between Oct. 7, 2023, and Aug. 31, 2024, and those who have had a visa terminated since Oct. 7, 2023.

A State Department employee told the media outlet it was “pretty clear the immediate target is anyone who participated in pro-Palestinian protests — one of the triggers for social media screening is having been in the US on one of these visas between Oct. 7 and the end of last August.”

The cable states that, during the screening, officers “MUST ADDRESS any derogatory information indicating that a visa applicant may be subject to the terrorism-related ineligibility grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act,” which includes “advocating for, sympathizing with, or persuading others to endorse or espouse terrorist activities or support a DESIGNATED FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.”

It also contains some broader guidance. One section suggests a student visa applicant does not necessarily need to express explicit support for terrorist activity in order to be denied as long as they demonstrate “a degree of public approval or public advocacy for terrorist activity or a terrorist organization.” 

This could be evident in “conduct that bears a hostile attitude toward US citizens or US culture” or in “advocacy or sympathy for foreign terrorist organizations.”

“All of these matters may open lines of inquiry regarding the applicant’s credibility and purpose of travel,” the cable states.

Some directives are somewhat vague — perhaps intentionally, so they can be applied in whichever way is required, the State Department employee told The Handbasket.

The cable also cites a quote from Rubio’s interview with CBS on March 16: “We don’t want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes and undermining our national security or the public safety. It’s that simple. Especially people that are here as guests. That is what a visa is ...  It is a visitor into our country. And if you violate the terms of your visitation, you are going to leave.”

Since taking up his role in January, Rubio has revoked at least 300 visas awarded to students, visitors and others. Last Thursday, he told the media he had signed letters on a daily basis. He refused to comment on how the cases came before him, but said he reviewed each one personally.

“If they’re taking activities that are counter to our national interest, to our foreign policy, we’ll revoke the visa,” he said.

Rubio added that a visa holder charged with a crime while in the US should automatically lose their permission to be in the US. Permanent residents, or green card holders, are not exempt from additional scrutiny and could also lose their status.

Last month, Rubio signed off on revoking the PR status of Syrian-born Mahmoud Khalil and Yunseo Chung, of South Korea, both of whom were involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

Khalil, who is married to a US citizen, was seized from his home by immigration agents and taken to a detention center in Louisiana. Chung has been in the US since the age of seven.


Trump says confident of TikTok deal before deadline

Updated 31 March 2025
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Trump says confident of TikTok deal before deadline

  • Chinese owner ByteDance to sell the popular short video app by April 5 or see it banned in the US
  • US in talks with four groups interested in acquiring the platform, Trump said

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Sunday he was confident of reaching a deal on TikTok ahead of the April 5 deadline for its Chinese owner ByteDance to sell the popular short video app or see it banned in the United States.
“We have a lot of potential buyers. There’s tremendous interest in TikTok,” Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One.
“We have a lot of people that want to buy TikTok. We’re dealing with China also on it, because they may have something to do with it,” he said, adding “I’d like to see TikTok remain alive.”
China on Thursday had rebuffed a suggestion from Trump that he might offer to reduce tariffs to get Beijing’s approval for the sale of TikTok to a non-Chinese firm.
Trump said this month the United States was in talks with four groups interested in acquiring the platform, which has 170 million American users.
A US law has ordered TikTok to divest from ByteDance or be banned in the United States, enacted over concerns that Beijing could exploit the app to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion.
The law took effect on January 19, a day before Trump’s inauguration, but he quickly announced a delay that has allowed it to continue to operate.
That delay is set to expire on April 5.
“There’ll be a deal with TikTok, I’m pretty certain,” Trump said when asked if he would extend the deadline if there was no deal.
Trump attempted to ban TikTok in the United States because of national security concerns during his first stint in the White House but has warmed up to it.
“Selfishly speaking, I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young crowd, and I think a lot of it could have been TikTok,” he said.


Turkiye confirms Swedish journalist arrested amid protests

Updated 30 March 2025
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Turkiye confirms Swedish journalist arrested amid protests

  • The jailing of Medin came just hours after the authorities released the last of 11 journalists arrested in dawn raids on Monday for covering the protests

Istanbul: A Swedish journalist who was detained on his arrival in Turkiye to cover protests over the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor has been arrested on terror-related charges and for “insulting the president,” the Turkish presidency said Sunday.
Joakim Medin, who works for the Dagens ETC newspaper, “has been arrested on charges of ‘membership in an armed terrorist organization’ and ‘insulting the president’,” the presidency said.
Medin was detained on Thursday when his plane landed in Turkiye, and sent to prison the next day.
In a bulletin published by its “Disinformation Combat Center,” the presidency said Medin was “known for anti-Turkiye news and his closeness to the terrorist organization PKK,” the banned Kurdish militant group.
“This arrest decision has no connection whatsoever to journalistic activities,” it added.
The jailing of Medin came just hours after the authorities released the last of 11 journalists arrested in dawn raids on Monday for covering the protests, among them AFP photographer Yasin Akgul.
Turkish authorities have also deported BBC journalist Mark Lowen, who had been covering the protests, after holding him for 17 hours on Wednesday, saying he posed “a threat to public order,” the broadcaster said.
Turkiye’s communications directorate said Lowen had been deported “due to a lack of accreditation.”
Turkish prosecutors had already opened an investigation into Medin in 2023 over a demonstration he joined in Stockholm in which a puppet of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hung from its feet, according to the presidency’s statement Sunday.
It said the Swedish journalist was among 15 suspects believed to have carried out, organized or publicized the demonstration.
The protest infuriated Turkish authorities, who alleged it was orchestrated by PKK members and summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Ankara.