‘Fake Famous’ Documentary Exposes the World of Online Influencing

influencer 101

| LAST UPDATE 06/27/2021

By Jessica Lopez
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Instagram via @dominiquedruckman

In today's day and age, our social media presence has slowly become more important than actually being present. Or at least that's how Fake Famous sees it. Take a look at how the controversial documentary is exposing the world of online influencing...

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Instagram via @wylezzz

Titled Fake Famous, the HBO film is exactly what it sounds like: a movie centered around the fickle concept of “fame.” With the help of journalist Nick Bilton, viewers tag along as three unknown users set off to become famous influencers. Only in doing so, their journeys’ to online stardom call for lots of questionable behavior.

From faking a trip on a private jet to sipping champagne by a "luxury hotel pool" (which is actually just a man's backyard), the documentary exposes what's really going on when the cameras aren't rolling. And from the looks of it? Not everything is as it seems, after all.

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Instagram via @dominiquedruckman

The flick also targets two of the biggest concerns when it comes to our favorite online bloggers: Photoshop and phony followers. As seen in the film, several aspiring influencers deploy props and photo manipulation in order to capture that "perfect shot." We also watch users purchase bots in order to increase their following count. But does money truly buy happiness, after all?

Fake famous, documentary, hbo
Instagram via @chrisvsmyself

While we won't spoil the end of this film for you, we will say this: not everybody is as equipped for the lifestyle of the rich and famous as they may have once thought. Then again, today's definition of fame clearly looks very different than it once did, doesn't it? "Now we have a new kind of fame, one where you’re famous simply for a number," as Nick Bilton put it.

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Instagram via @dominiquedruckman

Safe to say, regardless of your stance on the controversial world of blogging, Fake Famous is definitely a real eye-opener. Is the documentary simply generalizing a diverse group of people? Or perhaps was Nick Bilton's investigative piece onto something, after all? We'll let you decide...