Open AccessQUARANTINE VLOGS: DIGITAL AFFECTIVE LABOR AND SELF-GOVERNANCE DURING COVID-19
Author(s) -
Alkım Yalın
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
selected papers of internet research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2162-3317
DOI - 10.5210/spir.v2021i0.12076
Subject(s) - influencer marketing , generosity , sociology , political science , psychology , law , business , marketing , relationship marketing , marketing management
This research explores how did influencers incorporate the Covid-19pandemic into their regular content production on YouTube by specifically examining therecent genre of "quarantine vlog," which emerged in concurrence with global lockdowns. Iadopt a grounded theory approach to analyze the YouTube transcriptions of purposefullyselected 9 quarantine vlogs filmed by women influencers during the early months of thepandemic, along with 250 user comments. My analysis shows that quarantine vlogs aresignificantly different than ordinary vlogs. I draw on existing research on influencercultures to explain this dissimilarity as a tension between influencers' struggle to form anintimacy with the viewers - which can have a soothing effect in a moment of a crisis - andthe use of vlogs as a neoliberal device in order to preserve their aspirational image. Idemonstrate that quarantine vlogs reveal that influencers are no longer able to perform anaspirational ideal in their videos without first engaging with the mental stress, anxiety,confusion, and loneliness brought by COVID-19 or apologizing for their relative privilegeand demonstrating sympathy towards their followers who are in hardship. At the same time, topreserve their aspirational persona, they reframe the pandemic moment as an opportunity forproductivity and self-growth. As a result, influencers carry out substantial affective laborand engage in a delicate self-governance to preserve their relevance and online visibilityduring a global moment of crisis.