Monetize the word of mouth

In the eternal search for attention and access to market, businesses now turn to "influencers" to reach specific target and promote their products. Influencers are people that have strong following on social network and that are ready to spread a good word for a product/service/brand in return of some incentive. They are literally selling their word of mouth.

One more twisted way to use / manipulate people into buying stuff. I suppose it's fair game to use any mean necessary to get someone to buy. Still, I have a problem with the idea that someone I follow and probably trust would be "paid" to influence me. How can I trust anything said by anyone if there is always a probability that they are paid to write good comments.

I'm sure most of the influencer will only promote product that they actually like but there is certainly some that will push for products they don't necessarily like. At the end, it's all about credibility for those who doubt. But just like the for TV advertisements of the 50s few doubt. They had to put rules and laws about advertisement because marketer exploited the credulity of the people to lure them into believing anything. TV advertisement was a relatively simple medium to regulate but how to do that on social media?

Annd there is more, a recent study found that more people, mostly the new generations, get their news from social media. I'm getting nervous by the minute...

Wikileaks

In the turmoils of fake news and media blaming, one site still keeps bringing the truth.
Wikileaks was build to unveil the the truth about back office deals and hidden agenda of political groups around the world.
It is paradoxical that one of the most respected site and awarded for its transparency and openness about the source is aiming to make state secrets public. In this case, the credibility of the site is its main characteristic. All document posted on the site are thoroughly authenticate by multiple sources. Without this process, the site would lose the trust of its readers and its main goal.Still, it proves that even in an era of misinformation there is a way to promote truth and inspire trust.

"WireTrump"

More and more the use of social media to promote political agenda is eroding the trust in the online information. 

Earlier this month, president Trump accused the previous administration and president of wiretapping his phone line during the presidential campaign. While President Trump maintain the accusation, no proof have been presented. What would follow is a series of public exchanges and requests aiming at discrediting the other party. While it is common place in politics to claim and disclaim all sorts of pseudo fact, in the social world things are generally more subtle.
Don't get this wrong, there is plenty of false statements on social network but they don't affect a nation security nor they are officially framed to attack the previous president. By using the social network to manipulate the public opinion, President Trump, bypass the traditional news outlet and flood the public with posts that are both entertaining and political. The negative impact of this strategy is a diminished trust in information in the social network.
We live in a society where information is front and centre of everything. If we cannot trust the news media or our social network (friends, colleague, family, etc.) how to find the truth? It is necessarily somewhere hidden behind some lies.
A survey by Environics found last year that less than 30% of respondents trust the information on social network which not far behind the less than 50% for broadcasting news. Even if we know the information may be false, the message stick if it is repeated. A poll by the news channel WJHL hint at a 25% believing the president. This poll is on a voluntary base and may not well reflect the general opinion. Still 25% is a lot of people backing the president on an accusation for which he has provided no proof.