GLOBAL NATIVES team members Vilde Schanke Sundet and Kari Steen-Johansen have together with Mads Møller T Andersen a new publication in Nordic Journal of Media Studies about influencer autonomy.
The article is entitled Influencer autonomy Navigating authenticity, agencies, and algorithms, and explores the often-overlooked concept of autonomy among influencers. Based on in-depth interviews with 28 Norwegian influencers, influencer managers, and legacy media experts working with influencers, the article uncovers a complex interplay between influencers’ sense of autonomy and restraints emanating from their social environment. The article argues that influencer autonomy is at the same time enabled and restricted by three structures: cultural norms, technological algorithms, and economic management. Understanding the space for autonomy within these structures is, we contend, crucial for deciphering power within the influencer industry.
