Introduction -- Influencers are the canaries in the algorithmic coal mine -- Artists : optimization, but make it aesthetic -- Making soup, eating dino nuggets : authenticity within influencer cultures -- Linen, looms, and limestone cottages : being an "authentic" artist on social media -- No historic nudes allowed : influencer self-branding and brand safety -- When naked becomes nude : artists, self-branding, and brand safety -- Conclusion : time to bring it home with a profound conclusion

"A look at how we are all increasingly expected to be social influencers at work. A sculptor works while wearing a GoPro camera to capture Instagram content. A painter decides whether to make pieces that she won't be able to share on Instagram, after heraccount was blocked for sharing 'sexualized' content. An artist finds that her portraits of light-skinned women get an algorithmic boost over those featuring dark-skinned models. These creative workers are now using the content-generation skills and promotional strategies pioneered by influencers to compete for visibility online. Influencer Creep explores what happens when creative workers must go beyond their work to build a comprehensive online presence. Communications expert Sophie Bishop delineates how professional influencers affected the ways creative workers navigate social media platforms. They must optimize their content to win the favor of opaque algorithms they do not control. They must engage in relentless self-branding, creating a compelling,consistent, and platform-ready image. And that image, in spite of being carefully manufactured, must be perceived as authentic. Taking seriously the motivations that drive more and more people into the contest for online visibility, Influencer Creep documents a creative workforce nervously conforming to the monopoly power of social media platforms--and occasionally resisting it"-- Provided by publisher