We’ve been hearing the word “influencer” for years. In many ways, the term has been democratized: it used to describe traditional media or internet celebrities, and then it came to mean anyone who hoped to get paid for creating branded content or acting as a company’s spokesperson. Today, anyone can call themselves an influencer and monetize their Instagram posts or YouTube and TikTok videos. Yet what hasn’t changed—something experts agree on—is that many of these individuals have no idea what it means to be a “public figure.” A lack of journalism training, subject-matter expertise, or strong language skills hasn’t stopped social media personalities from being invited to events by organizations, agencies, ministries, and other decision-making bodies. In the Dominican Republic, just like in other countries, veteran journalists have expressed dismay … Continue reading Influencers, “sinvergüencers,” “fakevergüencers,” and other figures in tourism promotion