From Followers to Role Models: What Do Influencers Owe Us?

Social media influencers shape what we pay attention to, what we buy, our likes and dislikes, and sometimes our identity. But do they have a duty to be role models? In this talk, we’ll consider whether arguments about the ethics of celebrity and role-model duties apply to influencers. We’ll see how complex this is: influencers invite attention and admiration by sharing their lives, but their public persona is carefully curated, suggesting a right to privacy.

Catherine M. Robb is a philosopher working at Tilburg University. Originally from Scotland, Catherine moved to the Netherlands in 2018. She is particularly interested in the philosophy of popular culture, the ethics of self-development and talent, and what it is to be a good philosopher.