Written evidence submitted by Gleam Futures

 

 

Sent on behalf of Gleam Futures, a digital-first talent management company founded in 2010 with offices in London and LA. We have been operating in this space for over ten years now and have witnessed the evolution including the professionalisation of the industry and the increasing interest from the press and official bodies.

 

How would you define ‘influencers’ and ‘influencer culture’? Is this a new phenomenon?

 

 

Is it right that influencers are predominantly associated with advertising and consumerism, and if not, what other roles to influencers fulfil online?

 

 

How aware are users of the arrangements between influencers and advertisers? Should policymakers, tech companies and influencers and advertisers themselves do more to ensure these arrangements are transparent?

 

 

Has ‘influencing’ impacted popular culture? If so, how has society and/or culture changed because of this side of social media?

 

 

How are tech companies encouraging or disrupting the activities of influencing?