Beyond the authenticity bind - Finstagram as an escape from the attention economy

Amy Goode, Victoria Rodner, Matilda Lawlor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Our study examines ‘Finstagramming’ as a resistance strategy from influencers trying to circumvent the prescriptive nature and restrictive algorithm of Instagram. Without ever leaving the platform, Finstagram acts as an emancipatory outlet that enables influencers to share more intimate, less-conforming and unpolished content without jeopardising the highly curated, monetizable person-brand of their main account. Through a dual-method qualitative approach of netnography and in-depth interviews, we unravel this paradox of embedded escapism, where influencers toggle between main and Finsta accounts in their pursuit of authenticity. Our findings reveal the porosity of these multiple digital personae and differentiated digital work taking place on the platform. We argue that Finstagram affords a momentary escape from the digital attention economy whilst remaining tethered to socially mediated authenticity markers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1071-1097
JournalJournal of Marketing Management
Volume39
Issue number11-12
Early online date21 Sept 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • social networks
  • identity
  • new media
  • netnography
  • authentity
  • algorithm

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