04/05/2024

How Social Media Turned Into a Shopping Mall

Examine how influencers sell goods on social media

Hey, did you see the ad for that Bluetooth-enabled shiatsu foot massager? How about the one for the organic mushroom supplement powder? They’re probably not even the most interesting things you can buy on TikTok or Instagram.

Just as the apps have thrived on a steady stream of feel-good content, they have also inundated their users with cheap, bright and shiny stuff they can swipe through and buy with just a few taps. It’s a trend that’s spread out to every social site and has taken a unique shape on TikTok through the platform’s new, experimental TikTok Shop. Now, it’s hard to get through a couple of videos without being accosted by virility pills, fast fashion, and hangover cures.

This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED staff writer Amanda Hoover joins us to talk about the weird world of TikTok Shop, how its fee structure is evolving and why it feels like every single social media service is pivoting to zany products.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.