Social Media Stars Promote Comfort During COVID-19

Karolina Chorvath created her Instagram account while at Northeastern University in the early days of social media for the same reasons as everyone else: to share images and connect with friends.But after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, she used the platform to talk about her health. Now, she’s a 26-year-old Instagram influencer — @karolinakristina — with more than 12,000 followers.Irene Kim (Screenshot from Instagram)Influencers like Chorvath are paid to promote content on their social media accounts. Karolina Chorvath (Screenshot from Instagram)Chorvath — a third-culture journalist and influencer — has lived in Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Michigan before landing in Boston. While she shifted to endorsing mostly beauty products and fashion in 2016, she’s talking more about her health battles with Crohn’s disease and chronic illness.More companies have reached out during the quarantine because she’s one of the few influencers who has chronic illness. Having spent a lot of time isolated and in pain, she knows how to get through unbearable times.”When the pandemic started, I didn’t just continue to post skin care and beauty and fashion,” Chorvath said. “I was really posting about meditation and mindfulness and that has been hopefully helping. … It would be my honor if that could be the influence that I make during COVID, people can come to my Instagram account and feel validated or calmer or less alone.”Being paid to influence followers toward a product or service is an unregulated field. Taylor Lorenz, a technology and internet culture reporter at The New York Times, has written about the Helene Heath (Screenshot from Instagram)Helene Heath, a Brooklyn-based fashion and beauty blogger from Canada — @heleneisfor — with more than 14,000 followers, has far more time during the quarantine to think about the messages she wants to convey to her audience.”This whole new freedom in schedule is also allowing me to reflect more on the space I occupy and the value I bring to my community, versus always feeling like I’m one step behind and trying to keep up during the hustle and bustle of real life,” Heath said.Fashion and beauty influencer Brooklynn Gallagher — @brooklynngallagher — is a 26-year-old who hails from Vancouver and is based in New York City. She said more brands have reached out to her during quarantine.”It’s not something I expected but it has been beneficial for me personally as I’ve had much more time on my hands to create content,” said Gallagher, director of growth at Bulletin. “Normally, I create content on the weekends, as I work full time during the week … so this has opened up a lot of time for me.”Chorvath, Heath and Gallagher agreed they are more careful and sensitive about how they promote themselves during the pandemic and quarantine.Brooklynn Gallagher (Screenshot from Instagram)”I have also said no to a couple of partnerships, specifically affiliate programs, because it doesn’t feel right to push my followers to buy right now,” said Gallagher. “I think the most important thing for influencers right now is to promote positivity and to be a place where people can come to and still feel connected — being a person/place where people can find comfort is essential right now.”Influencers said companies would be smart to create more genuine content and actively build communities and create new platforms on new social media such as TikTok during COVID.”There are some brands, however, who have used this as an opportunity to better connect with their audiences, and reach out and teach them things that could potentially help them get through this and I think that’s fantastic,” Chorvath said.Heath said influencers with a voice and large platform on Instagram should have a responsibility to help and support their communities of followers.”Their community looks up to them, and they can set the tone for positivity and action in the midst of a global crisis, using their influence for the greater good within their niche,” said Heath. “I think it’s time to show just how powerful their voices are.” “We are literally in isolation right now, and a lot of people need positive vibes in their life, and whether or not that’s coming from Instagram, being a person/place where people can find comfort is essential right now,” said Gallagher.Madeline Joung contributed to this report.  
 
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