Is the influencer industry becoming a trap of fake friendships and transactional bonds?

[douglasrozek]

Scroll through any influencer's page and you’ll often see collaborations, “besties,” and constant tagging of other creators. But behind the scenes, many of these relationships are more business than bond. Fake friendships are formed for reach, audience-sharing, or brand deals—and dropped as quickly as they begin.

This article explores the performative nature of these influencer relationships:
https://influencersgonewildblog.com/

It outlines how followers often get emotionally invested in duos or friend groups, only to be confused or hurt when the relationship ends or explodes into drama. It’s like reality TV, but with no clear rules.

Discussion questions:

Should influencers be more transparent about when their “friendships” are strategic?

Is the pressure to constantly collaborate killing authentic relationships?

Are creators using each other—and their followers—as props for growth?

Has anyone else felt duped when a favorite influencer “friendship” turned out to be fake?