As someone who grew up in the digital age and has watched influencerism go from a hobby to a paying job, I understand how important certain social media posts are to these people.
Influencer culture as we know it may be on the brink of big change after one influencer filed a lawsuit against another, alleging that the rival is copying her style, thereby affecting her income.
Sidney Gifford is a 24-year-old content creator and lifestyle influencer whose life has been busy since she was expecting a baby with her fiancé, recently moved from Texas to her home state of Minnesota, and is also currently dealing with an ongoing lawsuit.
Another online influencer is Alyssa Sheil, 21, who creates lifestyle and fashion content and is based in Austin, Texas.
Both Sydney and Alyssa have large followings, but Sydney has the most TikTok followers with over 538,000 and Alyssa with 277,000.
Sydney's aesthetic and the look of her content is quite minimalist, using a lot of grey and neutral tones. The fashion she posts is quite classy and understated, with a bit of a southern, feminine vibe.
Although Alyssa's content is very similar, Sydney begins to realize that it's not just a coincidence, it's an outright copy.
Influencers follow trends and often have similar homes, clothing and aesthetics, but internet users are quick to spot posts that could be perceived as copied or “plagiarized.”
According to court documents, Sydney and Alyssa met in person in Austin in 2022 to make business arrangements and support each other.
ANR Production – stock.adobe.com – For illustrative purposes only, not real people
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