Rita Dahdah, an influencer of 7 years, has a blog where she shares her insights at The Ripertoire. She shared an important article about some of the very negative sides of being an influencer. Besides the experience of meeting many new and amazing people, occasionally there are trolls, and “not the movie” like Rita says. She shares on her blog, “I receive tons of praise, advice and tips, which I’m so lucky to be getting, but I also get the occasional trolls who feel entitled to express their rubbish opinions because they have bitter lives and feel safe behind their phones, laptops or computers. In the past seven years, I’ve been asked a plethora of ridiculous questions and given countless uneducated remarks that I have maturely ignored.”
What she touches on is an important phenomenon experienced by all influencers. People online often go beyond criticism and berate influencers not only for their life choices, but for their body’s natural appearance. Rita shares a plethora of insulting comments she’s received about her body, her relationship, her style, her existence, her values, her appearance and so much more.
She goes on to say; “My social media accounts portray exactly who I am. Yes, I filter my words and actions, but I’m sharing who I am, how I think and what I do with you. Growing up, I never had an older sister to advise me on what to do. I wish I had someone that told me that it’s OKAY to gain weight, have stretch marks, cellulite, hips, bad hair days and acne. I wish there was someone who had told me that breakups, two-faced friends, and disappointments are only a passing phase and inevitable part of growing up. I wish I had known from early on that the secret to happiness is loving yourself and what makes you different. I wish I had someone that explained the most trivial things to me, such as how to wear new trends or what hair style suited my face; and the most fundamental things. So, this is why I’m here. I’m here to be that honest, true, real, whatever person that you can virtually depend on.”
She concludes, like many people who maintain an online presence, that the trolls will not stop her from living a great life and posting on social media. Some influencers and people that maintain an online presence take regular breaks from social media, and some even deactivate their social media accounts for an amount of time or indefinitely, as different people respond to the hate and unwanted critique differently.
Rita sums it up by saying, “I will always welcome constructive criticism and opposing opinions. I also accept and understand that many don’t like me for whatever reason, and I honestly won’t ever try to change that. This isn’t a popularity contest for me, and I’m not here to compete for love, acceptance or followers. I’m here to connect with those who can relate to me and see the good in me without me even trying.”