Authenticity

A valuable aspect of being a micro-celebrity involves “appealing to online fans by being ‘authentic’”. Authenticity is a quality that takes many forms, from direct interaction with admirers to the public discussion of deeply personal information. Being a micro-celebrity is different than a traditional celebrity: being an online celebrity requires a certain amount of transparency. Micro-celebrities do not have the same “protection” as traditional celebrities and their fate lies in the hands on the internet which is know to be especially vicious. Therefore, a micro-celebrity must be more “available” and more “real” than other celebrities. Micro-celebrities are expected to be more authentic than traditional celebrities as they are not “subject to the processes of the star-making system” (this however does not mean that micro-celebrities are required to divulged deeply personal facts about them). Fans of a micro-celebrity will easily tune out that celebrity if they are not authentic. Authenticity is not is not an absolute quality but a social judgement that is always made in distinction to something else. There isn’t a clear cut answer as to what makes a person authentic, authenticity is developed over time as their current actions are compared with past ones and judged for consistency (a person being the same on all platforms).

There is a difference between being “authentic” and being “sincere”. Authenticity displays the aspects of an individual’s “hidden life, complete with passion and anguish”. Sincerity, however, is the opposite of hypocrisy in a sense that it is the act of being “honest without pretense”. This idea of being authentic does entail intimate information being revealed in order to create a bond between the micro celebrity and their audience, but it does not require every detail in an individual’s life to be shared. Thor Muller, the founder of customer service site Get Satisfaction, explains how he does not share everything in his life but shares experiences that demonstrate his personal integrity. He believes that “principles within our hearts” should dictate our actions, rather than marketing principles. In this sense of the term, authenticity isn’t about the quantity of what is shared, but rather the quality. Authenticity is measured “against an ideal of honesty”, according to Muller. While for micro-celebrities it is expected to be more “real” than actual celebrities, this expectation can still coincided with one’s morals, beliefs, and what they feel comfortable posting. Authenticity is not a universal understanding, therefore many forms of it are displayed from micro-celebrities who interpret the idea in their own way.