O dark side do trabalho com mídias sociais sob a ótica da Teoria da Dependência de Mídia: um estudo com influenciadoras digitais do Triângulo Mineiro

Abstract

Background: This study investigates the contemporary landscape of digital labor, characterized by the rise of social media platforms as central infrastructures for work. In this context, digital influencers emerge as workers who are structurally dependent on these technologies to produce content, establish connections, and secure their position in the marketplace, while facing dynamics of algorithmic power and constant surveillance. Objective: To understand digital influencers’ experiences and perceptions regarding the negative effects of social media dependency on their daily work activities. Method: This study adopts a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive research design based on a case study approach. To ensure the rigor and validity of the findings, data and source triangulation were employed. The research corpus was constructed from 20 semi-structured interviews with digital influencers from the Triângulo Mineiro region, netnographic observation on Instagram, and documentary analysis of 58 news reports. The data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis, supported by the MaxQDA software. Results: The findings revealed that digital influencing work is permeated by technical (algorithms), moral (regional community), and bodily (aesthetic) forms of control that generate structural vulnerabilities. The negative effects of social media dependency experienced by digital influencers were categorized into eight thematic dimensions: psychological distress and exhaustion (anxiety, burnout, and insomnia), body, image, and aesthetic performance (aesthetic pressure and body dissatisfaction), digital violence and social control (haters, harassment, and cancel culture), technological and algorithmic dependency, professionalization and work routines (work overload and the blurring of boundaries between personal life and work), monetization and the market (financial instability and professional precarization), regionality and social ties (pressures arising from close relationships within the local community), and ethics, gender, and regulation (gender inequalities, harassment, and regulatory challenges). Alignment with the Research Area (Regionality and Management) and Research Line: The study aligns with the Regionality and Management area by examining how global platformization processes are experienced by digital influencers within a specific territorial context (the Triângulo Mineiro region). It also aligns with the Society, Development, and Regionality research line by investigating, at the individual level, how labor platformization and social media dependency affect the health and careers of digital influencers in Triângulo Mineiro, revealing how global technological dynamics are shaped by moral and social pressures specific to the regional context. Innovation and Intellectual Contribution: This research contributes by extending Media Dependency Theory (MDT) beyond informational consumption, focusing on an ontological and structural dependency within digital labor. Additionally, it systematizes the dark side of digital influencing work into eight integrated dimensions, uncovers hidden issues such as harassment and racism, and highlights the novel role of spirituality and faith as coping mechanisms for dealing with the negative effects of social media dependency. Economic, Social, and Regional Impact: The study contributes to raising awareness about mental health within the creator economy and provides insights for developing more sustainable career management strategies. The findings may inform public policies aimed at protecting digital workers and assist local marketing agencies in understanding the actual working conditions and ethical boundaries involved in partnerships with regional influencers. Regional Implications: This study provides an overview of the influencer market in the Triângulo Mineiro region, highlighting how local characteristics shape the behavioral and social dynamics of digital influencing. The findings underscore the importance of informal support networks within the region and discuss how brands can play a positive role by fostering healthier and less precarious professional relationships.