Are NYC Influencers Boring? (And Why Do We Care??)

“Alright guys, I’m just going to say it,” said TikTok user @MartiniFeeny. “I hate all of the New York influencers, and I think they’re all boring as fuck.”

To me, this doesn’t seem like a big deal. TikTok is full of strong opinions, and this one felt relatively lighthearted. But apparently, this specific complaint struck a nerve. 

Although @MartiniFeeny and most other accusers didn’t name names, Bridgette Pheloung, known online as @aquiredstyle, seemed to take the rant personally and uploaded a mocking response, which has since been deleted. Since then, hundreds of people have voiced their opinions about this somewhat ambiguous group of influencers in a much-needed conversation about the types of creators being pushed to audiences and the role of influencing in daily life.

After watching @MartiniFeeny’s vaguely targeted video, native New Yorkers and POC creators immediately knew that the video was not about them. “New York City influencers” are not a monolith–yet TikTok seemed to collectively understand @MartiniFeeny was calling out a very specific group of white Manhattan transplants.

Aside from being “boring,” TikTok has called out NYC transplant creators for wearing the same (expensive) outfits, going to the same (expensive) workout classes, and attending the same (expensive) events–all without leaving Manhattan or venturing above 14th Street. 

In a perfect world, this wouldn’t be an issue. Any creator should be able to make content about whatever they want, no matter how unoriginal. But social media influence comes with significant power, and it is problematic when that power is concentrated in the hands of one particular demographic. And as it happens, this demographic has a reputation of displaying disrespect and ignorance to a place and to the people who already live there. 

“New York City influencers are worse than boring; they’re gentrifiers,” said TikTok creator and NYC native @djangita, calling out transplant influencers for contributing to rising rent prices without supporting local businesses or participating in the city’s culture. In fact, @djangita said that many of their videos complain about New York City culture, particularly that of non-white areas and neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Flushing, or East Brooklyn.

“It sucks because I’m from New York City and they’re making New York City boring–one of the most cultured cities on the entire planet,” she said.

In response, some have argued that the TikTok’s “For You” page is for you, and if a person’s social media feeds are filled with boring aesthetic curations, it’s because they made it that way. Or as influencer Chelsea Henriquez (@chelseaasoflate) told The Cut, “If you’re only seeing one side of New York, it’s probably because you’re not looking.”

But not all blame falls upon the consumer as there is significant racial disparity within the influencer industry that cannot be explained by personally curated feeds. POC creators receive significantly less industry endorsement, from the reported 34% pay gap between black and white influencers to the repeated diversity scandals regarding sponsorships and brand trips. And more than anything, TikTok and Instagram algorithms quite literally prioritize content from white creators. 

So yes, while one short-term solution to the “New York City influencers are boring” problem is simply to follow different people, we shouldn't have to intentionally seek out diversity on our social media feeds. If creators shape the culture, then it matters which creators are seen, and social media platforms, brands, and the influencer industry at large have a responsibility to amplify enough voices to represent an entire city.

Until then, the frustration with a certain kind of influencer isn’t just about aesthetics. It's about the flawed systems that promote certain voices while suppressing others, and what we lose culturally when that happens.