Ethical Writers & Creatives
With the dramatic transformation of social media, a brand-new career path has cropped up in the form of ‘online influencer’. With the enormous impact social media has had on each and every one of our lives, Sam Stafford profiles one organisation committed to making it better.
Not too long ago, announcing oneself as an online influencer would've been met with a confused furrow of the brow and the raising of eyebrows. However, with the sheer growth of social media, it’s become not only a viable—but also extremely lucrative—career.
Unfortunately, along with that profitability came a few unforeseen drawbacks. Due to the up-and-coming nature of the influencer field, it's no surprise that there are growing pains regarding lack of transparency and low standards. The influencer blogosphere, and the internet in general, is comparable to a burgeoning Wild West boomtown where anything goes—and because of this, exploitation and dishonesty run rampant.
Ethical Writers & Creatives could in many ways be seen as a direct response to some of these problems. Alden Wicker, a journalist and eco-fashion blogger, gathered together a group of like-minded bloggers to create a network of influencers—all with the express purpose of shaping the blogosphere landscape for the better.
The group itself is comprised of bloggers, podcasters, photographers, and other influencers ranging from all corners of the globe. Together, they help spread information and cooperate on ventures with other groups and companies who share their humanitarian vision; while also trying to raise the non-existent standards of the influencer industry.
EWC effectively acts as an intermediary for its members and collaborative brands alike, which allows the group to set standards to ensure that neither party gets unfairly exploited. While the idea may seem obvious, in the wild frontier that is the internet, it's still a rather novel concept.