WEBVTT FILE

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[bright tone]

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Downloaded from
YTS.MX

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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

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[electronic whirring]

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[vibrant operatic music]

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- [singing Italian aria]

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♪ ♪

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[vocalizing]

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♪ ♪

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- It wasn't that long ago
that in order to get away

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from the hustle and bustle

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and that never-ending grind
of everyday life,

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you'd get on a plane,
fly somewhere warm--

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like Los Angeles--

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and spend a week bopping

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from one tourist attraction
to another:

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the Hollywood sign,

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strolling along Venice Beach,

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admiring the architecture,

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and zipping through
the canyons and the coastlines

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and taking in the sparkle
of Tinseltown.

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♪ ♪

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Now people get on a plane,
fly to LA,

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and go to a pink wall
to take selfies.

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In fact, that pink wall

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is one of LA's
top tourist destinations,

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written about in everything
from "Fodor's"

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to "Travel + Leisure,"

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and is cited
on more lists of places

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to snap an Instagram photo

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than most tourist destinations
on the entire planet.

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♪ ♪

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People come here
from all over the world

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just to take a picture.

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♪ ♪

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Families do it.

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Locals do it.

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You see these women?

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They're from England,
and they paid $2,000 each

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to come here
on an Instagram vacation

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just to take a photo
against a flat pink wall.

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Why?
What are they looking for?

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- [singing Italian aria]

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- That's easy.

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They're looking for this:

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likes,

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which translates
to more followers,

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which is the current currency

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of the most important thing
on Earth today,

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what everyone seems
to be obsessed with.

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They want to be famous.

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[chorus singing in Italian]

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♪ ♪

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- [singing Italian aria]

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♪ ♪

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- Let me ask you a question.

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It's a question
that everyone has been asked

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at one time or another.

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What do you want to be
when you grow up?

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For decades, when researchers
asked kids this,

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the answer was often the same.

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Today kids in America say

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they want to be this

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more than any other occupation
on Earth...

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- Good morning from paradise.

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I'm wearing a big sweater.

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- A famous influencer.

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[tires squealing]

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- Cheers, guys.
- Cheers.

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- It's understandable.

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Influencers lead a grand life.

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- This is our first real day
in Tulum.

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- We're at the
Victoria's Secret pre-party.

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- Had a really fun night
last night,

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and then now
we came to Purobeach.

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- This is the new room
for the next three days.

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- But is that actual fame?

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Is that number--

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that indicator of how many
followers you have,

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how many likes you get,

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how many people comment
on your post--

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is that all real?

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- Good morning, guys.

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I went to sleep realizing

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I had 2 million followers
last night.

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- There are
over 40 million people

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who have over 1 million
followers on Instagram.

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Are they all famous?

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There are
over 100 million people

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who have more
than 100,000 followers.

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Are they famous too?

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If they are, how can
over 140 million people--

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the equivalent of almost half

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of the population
of the United States--

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all be considered famous?

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[overlapping chatter]

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[bright orchestral music]

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♪ ♪

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To find out,
we want to do an experiment

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to see if we can take
some random people

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with a tiny following online

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and make them
into famous influencers.

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Now, we genuinely have no idea
how this is going to play out.

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Can we get someone to, say,
10,000 followers,

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100,000, a million, even?

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And if we can, will people
look at them differently?

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Will their life change
for the better,

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or are there
unintended consequences

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for the worse?

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- You can take Chris,
and you can take Sophia,

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and you can take Sergio
into the waiting room.

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It's gonna be Chris, Sophia,
then Sergio.

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- Chris, Sophia, Sergio.

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- Great. Thank you so much.

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- To start,
we put out a casting call

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with one very simple question:

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"Do you want to be famous?"

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- We got probably

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around 4,000 submissions.

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- I take really cool pictures.

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I surf. I snowboard.

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- I've been a traveling
nomadic yoga teacher.

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- One of my goals is to visit
all the national parks.

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- Then we put together a panel
of social media experts,

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casting agents, and stylists

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to help us narrow down
our thousands of applicants

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to just three people.

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- This is the day.

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Your life is changing, girl.

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I love you.

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- Are you ready?
- I am ready.

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- Once we pick three people
from this group,

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we're going to try
to make them famous

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or at least appear that way.

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- All right, everybody,
this is Lo.

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- Hi, Lo.
- Hi, Lo!

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- All right,
could you just tell us

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your name, where you're from,

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and how many followers
you have on Instagram

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into the camera?

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- Yes. Hello.

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My name is Lo Mardell.

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I am from southeast
Washington, D.C.,

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and I have about
4,100 followers on Instagram.

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- I'm from Overland Park,
Kansas.

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- I'm from Juárez, Chihuahua.

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- My name's Wylie,
I'm from Atlanta, Georgia,

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and I have 2,443
Instagram followers.

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[laughs]
I counted. I checked.

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I'm an assistant,

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but my boss doesn't have
a lot of boundaries.

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I do, like, real estate stuff
and personal stuff

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and, like, gofer things.

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Like, all the assistants have--
- Does he know you're here?

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- No, I called in sick.

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[laughter]

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- That's so funny.
- What do you do for work?

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- Right now, I'm just doing,
like, modeling and acting.

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- I do modeling and acting.

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- I model and I act.

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- I act and I model.

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- Can you tell me how many
Instagram followers you have?

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- I think I've got about
230 followers on Instagram.

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- I currently have
1,100 followers.

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- 13.2K.

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- I don't know
how many followers I got.

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- Who are your followers?

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- Thirsty men,

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a lot of thirsty men.
[laughter]

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- They want to see me
half-naked or in a bikini.

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- What's your passion?

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- Right now, I'm focusing
on roller-skating.

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♪ ♪

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- I am a princess
on the weekends.

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[gentle tone]
Well, hello, everyone.

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It's so good to be here today.

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My name is Cinderella.

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- ♪ Mi piace è bello, bello ♪

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♪ ♪

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- And would you like
to be famous?

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- Absolutely.
[laughs]

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- Yes, I want to be famous.

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I will be.

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- I wouldn't say "famous."

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I want to just have a platform
to where I can change the world

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in the ways
that I want to change it.

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- I mean,
I guess all my life,

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I said I wanted to be famous,
but at this point,

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I don't even feel
like I want to.

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I feel like I deserve to,
you know what I'm saying, so...

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- Why is that?

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- 'Cause I need people
to feel this.

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I need people to feel
what charisma and passion

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is like in real life.

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This ain't no act.

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Like, all my life,
I been the biggest outcast

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in all situations,

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like, high school, everything--

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like, everything.
- Mm-hmm.

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- But I feel like I'm doing
all of this stuff for a reason.

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- I want to share
with people, like,

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"This kind of person
exists in the world."

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- Now's my chance
to maybe be someone

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that people look up to.

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But I think I would be
more authentic

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on social media
with a greater following

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knowing that
I'm reaching more people.

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- And how many hours a day

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do you think you would spend
on social media?

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- Phew. A lot.

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[laughter]

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A lot.

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- If I'm not working out,

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I'm usually on social media,

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just constantly scrolling.

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- And what are you doing,
exactly?

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- Looking at people
in bathing suits,

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getting...
[laughs]

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Super jealous
that I don't have abs yet.

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- I spend most of my time
looking at, like,

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memes and boys on there.

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- At least three to four hours.

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- Four to six hours.

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- Like, half the day.

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- I average 12.

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- I would love to have
at least a million followers.

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I hung out with a girl
that has 1.3 million followers,

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and her lifestyle
is 1.3 million followers.

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[laughter]

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It's like a fan base,
you know?

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So she's a musician.

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She's, like, a little pop star,

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and it's so much more reach.

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Brands want you.
It's great.

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- Are you trying to increase
your Instagram followers?

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Is it something you focus on?

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- That's kind of been actually
a big problem for me

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with Instagram is that I feel
like I don't have a formula.

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- It seems like nowadays

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that selfies
are the most popular.

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[camera shutters snapping]

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- That's where I find
I get more likes

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is just solo pictures.

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And unfortunately,
I care about that.

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[laughs]

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[camera shutters snapping]

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- So this is my process
for a selfie,

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like, for real.

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So I look pretty shiny.

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But you want the dewy.
You want the dew these days.

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[camera shutters snapping]

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- Oh. Ah!
- There you go.

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- Okay.
- Ah, there you go.

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- If someone
snapped their fingers

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and you had a million followers
on Instagram,

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what would you do?

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- Yo. Sign me up!

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I will do anything if I get
to sit on a beach all day.

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[laughter]

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[camera shutters snapping]

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♪ ♪

262
00:11:13.573 --> 00:11:15.198
- [chuckles]
I'ma delete it.

263
00:11:15.281 --> 00:11:17.198
- Thank you.
- No problem. Thank you.

264
00:11:17.281 --> 00:11:18.948
- Yeah.

265
00:11:19.031 --> 00:11:21.948
[crowd screaming]

266
00:11:22.031 --> 00:11:24.948
[suspenseful music]

267
00:11:25.031 --> 00:11:27.989
♪ ♪

268
00:11:28.073 --> 00:11:31.323
- Fame is such an obscure,
strange thing.

269
00:11:31.406 --> 00:11:33.823
You can't touch it,
and yet it's more powerful

270
00:11:33.907 --> 00:11:36.198
than almost any object
on Earth.

271
00:11:36.281 --> 00:11:37.782
♪ ♪

272
00:11:37.865 --> 00:11:41.198
You can't see it, and yet
almost everyone wants it.

273
00:11:41.281 --> 00:11:42.948
♪ ♪

274
00:11:43.031 --> 00:11:44.823
And whoever actually gets it

275
00:11:44.907 --> 00:11:47.365
has absolutely no control
over it.

276
00:11:47.448 --> 00:11:48.740
[unintelligible shouting]

277
00:11:48.823 --> 00:11:50.073
- No, no. No, no, no.

278
00:11:51.782 --> 00:11:53.948
- Being famous is a little bit
like being a toddler

279
00:11:54.031 --> 00:11:58.573
in the sense that
everything you do is praised.

280
00:11:58.657 --> 00:12:00.865
So I think the desire
to be famous

281
00:12:00.948 --> 00:12:04.740
is just a desire to be loved,

282
00:12:04.823 --> 00:12:08.740
just to get
that sort of feeling.

283
00:12:08.823 --> 00:12:09.740
- Jared!

284
00:12:09.823 --> 00:12:11.740
[crowd shouting]

285
00:12:11.823 --> 00:12:13.531
- It used to be
that somebody'd be famous

286
00:12:13.615 --> 00:12:16.156
for certain skills and talents,

287
00:12:16.239 --> 00:12:21.448
like acting
or music or sports.

288
00:12:21.531 --> 00:12:24.073
And then as media expanded

289
00:12:24.156 --> 00:12:26.740
and needed
more and more material

290
00:12:26.823 --> 00:12:30.239
for its 24 hours
of entertainment,

291
00:12:30.323 --> 00:12:33.782
it opened a lot more avenues
for fame.

292
00:12:33.865 --> 00:12:36.073
- The tribe has spoken.

293
00:12:36.156 --> 00:12:38.198
- That's when
we got reality TV,

294
00:12:38.281 --> 00:12:40.823
where you could be famous
simply for being famous.

295
00:12:40.907 --> 00:12:41.782
- [bleep]!

296
00:12:41.865 --> 00:12:43.782
- Ah, [bleep]. Stop!
- [screams]

297
00:12:43.865 --> 00:12:46.740
- Now we have
a new kind of fame,

298
00:12:46.823 --> 00:12:49.573
one where you're famous
simply for a number...

299
00:12:49.657 --> 00:12:51.239
- Hi, guys.

300
00:12:51.323 --> 00:12:52.907
- Hey, guys, how is it going?
- Well, hello there.

301
00:12:52.989 --> 00:12:53.948
- Just letting you know
we have launched...

302
00:12:54.031 --> 00:12:56.114
- Come on in.
It's hot out here. Come on.

303
00:12:56.198 --> 00:12:58.365
- The famous influencer.

304
00:12:58.448 --> 00:13:01.365
[wondrous music]

305
00:13:01.448 --> 00:13:05.782
♪ ♪

306
00:13:05.865 --> 00:13:07.239
For more
than a decade,

307
00:13:07.323 --> 00:13:08.657
I was the guy
who went on TV

308
00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:10.114
defending
social media.

309
00:13:10.198 --> 00:13:11.948
As a reporter
for "The New York Times"

310
00:13:12.031 --> 00:13:12.989
and "Vanity Fair,"

311
00:13:13.073 --> 00:13:14.782
my beat
was covering the impact

312
00:13:14.865 --> 00:13:17.114
of technology on society.

313
00:13:17.198 --> 00:13:19.657
Now as almost 4 billion people

314
00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:22.948
spend a collective
100 billion hours a day

315
00:13:23.031 --> 00:13:25.823
on sites like Instagram,
Facebook, and Twitter,

316
00:13:25.907 --> 00:13:27.114
I've realized that there are

317
00:13:27.198 --> 00:13:30.490
vast unintended consequences
to these platforms,

318
00:13:30.573 --> 00:13:33.907
not least of which is
people's obsession with fame.

319
00:13:33.989 --> 00:13:36.281
Hence this social experiment.

320
00:13:36.365 --> 00:13:37.948
- Okay, so page one.

321
00:13:38.031 --> 00:13:39.281
- Lo I liked.
- Taylor.

322
00:13:39.365 --> 00:13:41.448
Probably Kyoshi, yeah?

323
00:13:41.531 --> 00:13:44.490
- We can make this foolproof
by picking the opera singer,

324
00:13:44.573 --> 00:13:47.907
the model, or the
professional basketball player.

325
00:13:47.989 --> 00:13:49.448
But they could easily end up

326
00:13:49.531 --> 00:13:51.156
being famous
for their talents,

327
00:13:51.239 --> 00:13:53.323
so instead we decided

328
00:13:53.406 --> 00:13:56.239
to go with three
less obvious choices:

329
00:13:56.323 --> 00:13:58.657
Dominique, Wylie, and Chris.

330
00:13:58.740 --> 00:13:59.740
[camera shutter snaps]

331
00:13:59.823 --> 00:14:02.782
[soft piano music]

332
00:14:09.948 --> 00:14:11.948
- This is my home.

333
00:14:12.031 --> 00:14:15.365
♪ ♪

334
00:14:15.448 --> 00:14:17.365
I just got a fish.

335
00:14:17.448 --> 00:14:19.865
Her name is Kitty Smalls.

336
00:14:19.948 --> 00:14:22.114
She's still alive
a week and a half later.

337
00:14:22.198 --> 00:14:24.865
[laughs]
I'm impressed with myself.

338
00:14:24.948 --> 00:14:28.531
I just spilt yogurt...
on my crotch area.

339
00:14:28.615 --> 00:14:30.490
[camera shutter snaps]

340
00:14:30.573 --> 00:14:32.198
- You go!
- Oh, my God.

341
00:14:32.281 --> 00:14:34.573
- I grew up in Miami Beach.

342
00:14:34.657 --> 00:14:37.782
I moved to LA
right after college

343
00:14:37.865 --> 00:14:39.406
to pursue my acting career.

344
00:14:39.490 --> 00:14:42.406
♪ ♪

345
00:14:42.490 --> 00:14:44.657
The first big audition I had,

346
00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:46.865
it was not a role
I wanted at all

347
00:14:46.948 --> 00:14:50.031
because she had to do, like,
a simulated sex scene.

348
00:14:50.114 --> 00:14:51.823
My agent was just like,

349
00:14:51.907 --> 00:14:53.573
"Honestly, this is
a really good move for you.

350
00:14:53.657 --> 00:14:55.073
I think you
should be doing it."

351
00:14:55.156 --> 00:14:57.031
♪ ♪

352
00:14:57.114 --> 00:14:59.156
And that looks sort of better.

353
00:14:59.239 --> 00:15:02.156
I set hard limits for myself
after that.

354
00:15:02.239 --> 00:15:03.156
I don't think Meryl Streep
has ever

355
00:15:03.239 --> 00:15:04.740
showed her boob on-screen.

356
00:15:04.823 --> 00:15:06.865
Why should I, you know?

357
00:15:06.948 --> 00:15:08.406
- All right, just stay here
for a minute.

358
00:15:08.490 --> 00:15:10.907
I'm gonna go snag Mom.

359
00:15:10.989 --> 00:15:13.657
I've been
in a few student films.

360
00:15:15.490 --> 00:15:18.031
I played a robot.

361
00:15:18.114 --> 00:15:19.573
Good morning, Richard.

362
00:15:19.657 --> 00:15:21.989
I actually really enjoyed
that role.

363
00:15:22.073 --> 00:15:23.031
[electronic chirp]

364
00:15:23.114 --> 00:15:25.448
Your shoes
are on the wrong feet.

365
00:15:27.323 --> 00:15:30.740
I get cast a lot as, like,
angsty teen.

366
00:15:30.823 --> 00:15:34.573
[ethereal music]

367
00:15:34.657 --> 00:15:37.490
[grunts]
[flesh squelches]

368
00:15:40.031 --> 00:15:41.573
Shit.

369
00:15:41.657 --> 00:15:44.698
Still waiting
for my big break.

370
00:15:46.657 --> 00:15:48.073
Where's Richard?

371
00:15:48.156 --> 00:15:52.448
He sent a stranger
to take me to the doctor?

372
00:15:52.531 --> 00:15:53.615
Ugh.

373
00:15:53.698 --> 00:15:55.615
He sent a stranger...

374
00:15:55.698 --> 00:15:57.740
[chuckling]
To take me to the doctor.

375
00:15:59.031 --> 00:16:01.989
He sent a stranger
to take me to the doctor?

376
00:16:02.073 --> 00:16:03.281
- Where is Richard?

377
00:16:03.365 --> 00:16:06.782
both: He sent a stranger
to take me to the doctor?

378
00:16:06.865 --> 00:16:09.907
- Not exactly a stranger,
so...

379
00:16:09.989 --> 00:16:11.323
You're into animals, huh?

380
00:16:11.406 --> 00:16:12.948
both:
Get lost.

381
00:16:13.031 --> 00:16:15.989
[gentle piano music]

382
00:16:16.073 --> 00:16:18.782
♪ ♪

383
00:16:18.865 --> 00:16:21.406
[line trills]

384
00:16:22.573 --> 00:16:23.782
- Hey, good morning.

385
00:16:23.865 --> 00:16:25.448
- Hi, Mom. How are you?

386
00:16:25.531 --> 00:16:27.406
- Good.
How come you're up so early?

387
00:16:27.490 --> 00:16:29.406
- [laughing]
I have work at 9:00.

388
00:16:29.490 --> 00:16:31.490
- Ah.

389
00:16:31.573 --> 00:16:34.031
- We have
that regional manager coming.

390
00:16:34.114 --> 00:16:35.948
You know, she and I
don't get along.

391
00:16:36.031 --> 00:16:38.031
- Well, be positive, remember.

392
00:16:38.114 --> 00:16:39.031
- Yeah.

393
00:16:39.114 --> 00:16:41.031
- You're the boo-boo girl.

394
00:16:41.114 --> 00:16:42.823
- Yup.

395
00:16:42.907 --> 00:16:44.031
All right.
- All right, sweetie.

396
00:16:44.114 --> 00:16:45.782
Well, I hope you have
a great day.

397
00:16:45.865 --> 00:16:47.323
I love you.
- I love you too.

398
00:16:47.406 --> 00:16:48.615
I'll talk to you later.

399
00:16:48.698 --> 00:16:55.698
♪ ♪

400
00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:58.198
- Good morning.
- Good morning.

401
00:16:58.281 --> 00:17:00.156
Sorry I'm late.
- No, you're okay.

402
00:17:00.239 --> 00:17:02.323
- [sighs]
I'm out of breath.

403
00:17:02.406 --> 00:17:04.948
♪ ♪

404
00:17:05.031 --> 00:17:07.698
I love making people laugh.

405
00:17:07.782 --> 00:17:11.989
Oh, I'd love to be
a series regular on a TV show.

406
00:17:12.073 --> 00:17:14.865
But I have not been, like,
auditioning every week,

407
00:17:14.948 --> 00:17:17.698
and, like, when I'm here,
on Thursdays before class,

408
00:17:17.782 --> 00:17:19.531
I'm, like, running lines
back here

409
00:17:19.615 --> 00:17:21.114
while I'm, like,
pulling inventory.

410
00:17:23.948 --> 00:17:25.531
Absolutely when you're meeting
with an agent,

411
00:17:25.615 --> 00:17:27.531
they want to see, like,
how many followers you have,

412
00:17:27.615 --> 00:17:29.531
like, all of the social media,
like, package,

413
00:17:29.615 --> 00:17:31.365
that you're well-branded
already.

414
00:17:31.448 --> 00:17:33.365
I used to think it was, like,
because of your efforts

415
00:17:33.448 --> 00:17:36.156
or, like, you put the work in

416
00:17:36.239 --> 00:17:39.531
and people admire your work

417
00:17:39.615 --> 00:17:43.031
and, like, recognize
that you have done something,

418
00:17:43.114 --> 00:17:46.406
and now it's just like,
anybody can kind of do it...

419
00:17:47.948 --> 00:17:50.907
Because you're an Instagrammer.

420
00:17:50.989 --> 00:17:53.615
And I'm kind of just like,
I'll play the game

421
00:17:53.698 --> 00:17:55.698
so that I can do what I want,

422
00:17:55.782 --> 00:17:59.615
but in the meantime,
I'll fill online orders.

423
00:18:09.490 --> 00:18:10.490
[camera shutter snaps]

424
00:18:12.490 --> 00:18:15.615
[dramatic piano music]

425
00:18:15.698 --> 00:18:22.698
♪ ♪

426
00:18:32.531 --> 00:18:34.281
- Today is October 4th.

427
00:18:34.365 --> 00:18:37.323
October 22nd makes one year
since I've been in LA.

428
00:18:37.406 --> 00:18:38.657
[camera shutter snaps]

429
00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:41.073
If you want to be something,
if you want to be somebody,

430
00:18:41.156 --> 00:18:43.239
then you gotta get the fuck
out of Tucson, Arizona,

431
00:18:43.323 --> 00:18:45.114
at all costs necessary, bro.

432
00:18:45.198 --> 00:18:46.114
[camera shutter snaps]

433
00:18:46.198 --> 00:18:47.615
That place is hell.

434
00:18:47.698 --> 00:18:49.156
I was making moves, yo.

435
00:18:49.239 --> 00:18:51.073
Like, I was doing shit.

436
00:18:51.156 --> 00:18:53.073
I was doing events.
I was doing pop-ups.

437
00:18:53.156 --> 00:18:54.448
I was making merch.

438
00:18:54.531 --> 00:18:56.490
People were coming through
having a good time.

439
00:18:56.573 --> 00:18:57.865
Like, I was creating
this whole,

440
00:18:57.948 --> 00:18:59.281
like, culture and everything,

441
00:18:59.365 --> 00:19:01.657
but, like, it's too small.

442
00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:04.114
It's where people go
to live the last chapter,

443
00:19:04.198 --> 00:19:06.782
not, like, be in your prime.

444
00:19:06.865 --> 00:19:08.573
♪ ♪

445
00:19:08.657 --> 00:19:10.281
The thoughts that were going
through my mind

446
00:19:10.365 --> 00:19:12.448
when I was in Arizona
were so negative

447
00:19:12.531 --> 00:19:15.948
and were so, like--
I was so down on myself.

448
00:19:16.031 --> 00:19:19.239
Like, I couldn't go nowhere
but up,

449
00:19:19.323 --> 00:19:21.156
so hon--like, coming out here,

450
00:19:21.239 --> 00:19:23.948
I just knew I was gonna have
a new outlook.

451
00:19:24.031 --> 00:19:25.323
I was just gonna have
a new future,

452
00:19:25.406 --> 00:19:26.698
you know what I'm saying?

453
00:19:26.782 --> 00:19:27.989
[camera shutter snaps]

454
00:19:28.073 --> 00:19:30.323
So I just got in my car.

455
00:19:30.406 --> 00:19:31.657
I just told my grandma,
I was like,

456
00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:33.657
"I'm leaving. I'm out."

457
00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:35.823
My grandma was like,
"You should be out."

458
00:19:35.907 --> 00:19:36.865
[camera shutter snaps]

459
00:19:36.948 --> 00:19:40.531
♪ ♪

460
00:19:40.615 --> 00:19:41.657
[cell phone chirps]

461
00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:43.490
That your phone?

462
00:19:43.573 --> 00:19:46.657
[unintelligible chatter]

463
00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:49.989
When I first got to LA,
it was tough.

464
00:19:50.073 --> 00:19:53.490
But I've got a good squad,
got a lot of friends out here.

465
00:19:53.573 --> 00:19:56.531
[sewing machine whirring]

466
00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:03.198
In high school, I just had
this love for clothes.

467
00:20:03.281 --> 00:20:04.323
[muttering unintelligibly]

468
00:20:04.406 --> 00:20:07.531
The avenue of music
brought me into fashion,

469
00:20:07.615 --> 00:20:10.740
and my interest
for both of them grew.

470
00:20:10.823 --> 00:20:16.198
♪ ♪

471
00:20:16.281 --> 00:20:17.865
My grandma and my grandpa
had, like,

472
00:20:17.948 --> 00:20:19.198
an ancient sewing machine,

473
00:20:19.281 --> 00:20:22.031
and they taught me
how to use it.

474
00:20:22.114 --> 00:20:23.698
And I wanted to make a brand

475
00:20:23.782 --> 00:20:26.698
that every piece
was one of one.

476
00:20:26.782 --> 00:20:29.907
♪ ♪

477
00:20:29.989 --> 00:20:31.698
The concept behind 1-OFF

478
00:20:31.782 --> 00:20:37.031
is that I apply graphics
to a secondhand garment.

479
00:20:37.114 --> 00:20:39.239
Everybody wants to be known
for something,

480
00:20:39.323 --> 00:20:40.281
you know what I'm saying?

481
00:20:40.365 --> 00:20:42.198
Even if it's only
by a few people

482
00:20:42.281 --> 00:20:43.239
or if it's the whole world,

483
00:20:43.323 --> 00:20:45.948
like, everybody
wants to be known.

484
00:20:46.031 --> 00:20:49.657
I was voted in high school
most likely to be famous

485
00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:52.615
and best-dressed
every year.

486
00:20:52.698 --> 00:20:54.073
We gonna have to find
a yearbook

487
00:20:54.156 --> 00:20:55.740
so I could show ya,

488
00:20:55.823 --> 00:20:58.615
but that's the facts.

489
00:20:58.698 --> 00:21:00.948
♪ ♪

490
00:21:01.031 --> 00:21:02.031
[camera shutter snaps]

491
00:21:04.323 --> 00:21:07.865
[camera shutter snapping]

492
00:21:10.657 --> 00:21:13.031
[line trilling]

493
00:21:13.114 --> 00:21:14.782
- Oh, these are cute homes.

494
00:21:21.156 --> 00:21:22.073
- Good morning.
- Hey.

495
00:21:22.156 --> 00:21:23.114
I was wondering
if you could help me.

496
00:21:23.198 --> 00:21:24.531
I'm trying to find a bow tie

497
00:21:24.615 --> 00:21:26.782
that my boss has bought
in the past.

498
00:21:26.865 --> 00:21:28.448
Could you look up
two names?

499
00:21:28.531 --> 00:21:31.114
It's either under his name
or his husband's name.

500
00:21:31.198 --> 00:21:34.281
I work for a real estate agent
in Beverly Hills.

501
00:21:34.365 --> 00:21:35.907
[camera shutter snaps]

502
00:21:35.989 --> 00:21:37.782
[sighs]
It's, like, 40% personal,

503
00:21:37.865 --> 00:21:41.281
60% real estate stuff.

504
00:21:41.365 --> 00:21:44.281
So I do, like,
open houses and showings,

505
00:21:44.365 --> 00:21:46.573
and then, like, I'm also, like,
picking up laundry

506
00:21:46.657 --> 00:21:49.573
and, like, filling pill boxes.

507
00:21:49.657 --> 00:21:52.782
I have two phones
because you have to have

508
00:21:52.865 --> 00:21:55.782
all of his contacts
in his iCloud on one phone,

509
00:21:55.865 --> 00:21:59.114
so we have, like,
12,000 contacts on this one,

510
00:21:59.198 --> 00:22:00.948
and then this
is my personal one.

511
00:22:01.031 --> 00:22:01.948
[camera shutter snaps]

512
00:22:02.031 --> 00:22:03.615
I moved here a year ago.

513
00:22:03.698 --> 00:22:06.156
It's the first time
I've been away from home.

514
00:22:06.239 --> 00:22:09.615
I used to be a lot heavier,
a lot thicker.

515
00:22:09.698 --> 00:22:10.989
I lived
above a calzone restaurant,

516
00:22:11.073 --> 00:22:12.031
so that's probably why.

517
00:22:12.114 --> 00:22:13.698
♪ ♪

518
00:22:13.782 --> 00:22:17.782
And Atlanta didn't really have
that much of a gay community.

519
00:22:17.865 --> 00:22:21.657
Out here, like, most
of my friends are gay guys.

520
00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:24.531
There's so much pressure,
I think, to look good out here,

521
00:22:24.615 --> 00:22:25.948
especially, like,
in the gay community.

522
00:22:26.031 --> 00:22:28.198
It's honestly
just so exacerbating

523
00:22:28.281 --> 00:22:30.031
and just so daunting.

524
00:22:30.114 --> 00:22:31.989
But everyone out here
keeps up with it,

525
00:22:32.073 --> 00:22:34.782
so I felt like I sort of
just had to join the culture.

526
00:22:34.865 --> 00:22:36.406
♪ ♪

527
00:22:36.490 --> 00:22:38.448
It's been fine;
it just isn't as fun

528
00:22:38.531 --> 00:22:41.114
as it used to be
when I could eat a calzone.

529
00:22:46.615 --> 00:22:50.740
♪ ♪

530
00:22:50.823 --> 00:22:52.031
Hi.

531
00:22:52.114 --> 00:22:53.365
Good. How are you?

532
00:22:53.448 --> 00:22:58.156
When I was in high school,
I realized I was pretty OCD.

533
00:22:58.239 --> 00:22:59.198
You know, I got out here,

534
00:22:59.281 --> 00:23:01.156
and it just manifested
into something else.

535
00:23:01.239 --> 00:23:02.823
The combination
of the social media,

536
00:23:02.907 --> 00:23:05.698
the combination of being around
so many beautiful people,

537
00:23:05.782 --> 00:23:08.239
it's very competitive.

538
00:23:08.323 --> 00:23:10.031
I take, like,
antianxiety pills,

539
00:23:10.114 --> 00:23:11.573
but I mean,
who doesn't these days?

540
00:23:11.657 --> 00:23:13.865
♪ ♪

541
00:23:13.948 --> 00:23:17.239
I really don't have a lot
of experience with it,

542
00:23:17.323 --> 00:23:19.031
but fame, I guess,
from what I know,

543
00:23:19.114 --> 00:23:20.031
it just seems great.

544
00:23:20.114 --> 00:23:21.531
It really does seem like
a good thing,

545
00:23:21.615 --> 00:23:24.365
and everyone wants it,
so I kind of was just like,

546
00:23:24.448 --> 00:23:25.406
"I mean, if everybody else
wants it,

547
00:23:25.490 --> 00:23:26.657
I don't see why I wouldn't."

548
00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:28.406
♪ ♪

549
00:23:28.490 --> 00:23:31.782
I kind of do think that fame
is something that I could use

550
00:23:31.865 --> 00:23:37.281
as a tool to fix my own issues
or whatever or--

551
00:23:37.365 --> 00:23:39.406
I don't know; I just don't know
enough about it

552
00:23:39.490 --> 00:23:43.531
to kind of figure out
what I have not--

553
00:23:43.615 --> 00:23:45.657
I don't know.
Am I making sense?

554
00:23:47.073 --> 00:23:48.323
- People ask me all the time,

555
00:23:48.406 --> 00:23:49.865
like, "What is an influencer?

556
00:23:49.948 --> 00:23:51.114
"Give us a one-word,

557
00:23:51.198 --> 00:23:53.239
you know, definition."

558
00:23:53.323 --> 00:23:55.239
It's really hard to do that.

559
00:23:55.323 --> 00:23:57.406
I am cited in the
Merriam-Webster dictionary

560
00:23:57.490 --> 00:23:58.865
in the definition
of "influencer,"

561
00:23:58.948 --> 00:24:00.907
so I should have
a better answer.

562
00:24:00.989 --> 00:24:02.698
But I would say it's somebody

563
00:24:02.782 --> 00:24:06.573
who is half entrepreneur
and half celebrity, kind of.

564
00:24:06.657 --> 00:24:08.573
- Madison Guest and I
are on our way

565
00:24:08.657 --> 00:24:10.198
to our very first

566
00:24:10.281 --> 00:24:12.239
New York Fashion Week
party tonight.

567
00:24:12.323 --> 00:24:14.114
We're very excited.
- So excited.

568
00:24:14.198 --> 00:24:15.615
- An influencer, I think,

569
00:24:15.698 --> 00:24:16.740
technically is just someone

570
00:24:16.823 --> 00:24:17.907
who has a lot of followers

571
00:24:17.989 --> 00:24:20.281
on some of these platforms.

572
00:24:20.365 --> 00:24:23.782
- Anyone who has access
to a large following,

573
00:24:23.865 --> 00:24:25.239
whether it's real or fake,

574
00:24:25.323 --> 00:24:28.406
and they are able
to promote themselves

575
00:24:28.490 --> 00:24:29.907
or promote brands.

576
00:24:29.989 --> 00:24:30.907
- Good morning.

577
00:24:30.989 --> 00:24:32.490
So I just got
to the hangar here

578
00:24:32.573 --> 00:24:34.448
where we are shooting
some planes today,

579
00:24:34.531 --> 00:24:36.114
but most importantly,

580
00:24:36.198 --> 00:24:37.406
we are shooting
some watches today.

581
00:24:37.490 --> 00:24:38.406
Look at this beauty.

582
00:24:38.490 --> 00:24:39.406
- What's up, you guys?

583
00:24:39.490 --> 00:24:40.448
I know you've heard me
talk about Regi

584
00:24:40.531 --> 00:24:41.615
a few times before
in my feed.

585
00:24:41.698 --> 00:24:43.782
Regi is this incredible
booking platform.

586
00:24:43.865 --> 00:24:47.406
- This deep conditioner
is everything in a jar.

587
00:24:47.490 --> 00:24:50.907
- It does also seem to mean
"not employed"

588
00:24:50.989 --> 00:24:54.448
or "person without
sense of purpose."

589
00:24:54.531 --> 00:24:56.365
[inquisitive music]

590
00:24:56.448 --> 00:24:57.698
- Whoo!

591
00:24:57.782 --> 00:24:59.573
- I think the term "influencer"
has--

592
00:24:59.657 --> 00:25:01.657
generally has
a negative connotation

593
00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:03.156
for whatever reason.

594
00:25:03.239 --> 00:25:04.490
- People associate influencers

595
00:25:04.573 --> 00:25:06.198
with bloggers

596
00:25:06.281 --> 00:25:09.156
or models who aren't signed

597
00:25:09.239 --> 00:25:11.490
or things like that.

598
00:25:11.573 --> 00:25:13.323
- It really is about

599
00:25:13.406 --> 00:25:14.365
presenting a lifestyle

600
00:25:14.448 --> 00:25:16.239
that people want to mimic.

601
00:25:16.323 --> 00:25:17.198
You're really trying

602
00:25:17.281 --> 00:25:18.531
to show people,

603
00:25:18.615 --> 00:25:19.989
"This is my life, and if you

604
00:25:20.073 --> 00:25:21.657
"want to be more like me,

605
00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:24.031
you should follow me."

606
00:25:24.114 --> 00:25:25.657
- Influencer is really a rage.

607
00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:27.615
It could be anything
from a micro-influencer

608
00:25:27.698 --> 00:25:30.114
who has, say, like,
5,000 followers

609
00:25:30.198 --> 00:25:32.782
to somebody
with a million-plus.

610
00:25:32.865 --> 00:25:34.615
There's the style influencers,

611
00:25:34.698 --> 00:25:36.239
there's the fashion
influencers,

612
00:25:36.323 --> 00:25:38.156
the lifestyle influencers,

613
00:25:38.239 --> 00:25:41.073
the home and interior design
influencers,

614
00:25:41.156 --> 00:25:42.365
the wellness influencers,

615
00:25:42.448 --> 00:25:44.031
the health and fitness
influencers.

616
00:25:44.114 --> 00:25:46.490
There's so many
different kinds.

617
00:25:46.573 --> 00:25:48.698
- We livin' today.

618
00:25:48.782 --> 00:25:50.031
- There's a lot of positive
to it too,

619
00:25:50.114 --> 00:25:51.740
especially for people,
for instance,

620
00:25:51.823 --> 00:25:54.031
that didn't have a voice
in traditional media.

621
00:25:54.114 --> 00:25:56.907
- We're gonna talk
about how you can run

622
00:25:56.989 --> 00:26:00.031
digital voter
registration drives.

623
00:26:00.114 --> 00:26:01.698
- Everything that used to be
centralized

624
00:26:01.782 --> 00:26:04.531
and vetted and controlled
and gatekept,

625
00:26:04.615 --> 00:26:06.365
those gates have
been blown open

626
00:26:06.448 --> 00:26:08.865
heavily by technology.

627
00:26:08.948 --> 00:26:10.865
We've seen it
in activist communities

628
00:26:10.948 --> 00:26:12.823
from MeToo
to Black Lives Matter,

629
00:26:12.907 --> 00:26:14.156
an environmental movement,

630
00:26:14.239 --> 00:26:15.365
the climate crisis.

631
00:26:15.448 --> 00:26:18.073
- We are on school strike
for the climate.

632
00:26:18.156 --> 00:26:20.740
- There are groups of people

633
00:26:20.823 --> 00:26:23.323
fighting for their freedom
around the world

634
00:26:23.406 --> 00:26:24.698
who are now aware
of each other

635
00:26:24.782 --> 00:26:27.323
because they can be connected
across that world.

636
00:26:27.406 --> 00:26:30.281
[protestors chanting
unintelligibly]

637
00:26:30.365 --> 00:26:33.281
[hopeful music]

638
00:26:33.365 --> 00:26:39.782
♪ ♪

639
00:26:39.865 --> 00:26:42.073
[birds chirping]

640
00:26:42.156 --> 00:26:44.573
- All right,
let's do this thing.

641
00:26:44.657 --> 00:26:46.948
- Let me see what we got.

642
00:26:47.031 --> 00:26:49.239
- You know what the deal is.

643
00:26:49.323 --> 00:26:51.573
- Do you have any thoughts
of what you want to do,

644
00:26:51.657 --> 00:26:52.573
or you're just open?

645
00:26:52.657 --> 00:26:54.031
- I'm open.
- Okay.

646
00:26:54.114 --> 00:26:56.865
We're gonna cut it shorter.
- Cool.

647
00:26:56.989 --> 00:26:58.573
[Ratchét's "Put in Work"]

648
00:26:58.657 --> 00:27:01.865
- All right.
What's your dream here?

649
00:27:01.948 --> 00:27:03.657
- I don't know; I think
I always liked curly hair.

650
00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:04.907
- We always want
what we don't have, right?

651
00:27:04.989 --> 00:27:06.031
- Yeah.

652
00:27:06.114 --> 00:27:07.657
- ♪ Checkin' for 'em,
always keep it movin' ♪

653
00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:10.448
♪ Only Rolex, please,
no G-SHOCKs, who you foolin' ♪

654
00:27:10.531 --> 00:27:13.114
♪ Cute brown skin twinnin'
with some boobies ♪

655
00:27:13.198 --> 00:27:14.948
- There are millions of people

656
00:27:15.031 --> 00:27:17.782
who have millions of followers
on Instagram.

657
00:27:17.865 --> 00:27:19.448
That means everyone

658
00:27:19.531 --> 00:27:21.239
knows somebody
who knows somebody

659
00:27:21.323 --> 00:27:23.657
who is famous on Instagram.

660
00:27:23.740 --> 00:27:26.281
- What's up? This lady's
about to do my nails, I guess.

661
00:27:26.365 --> 00:27:27.782
Yeah, what's up?

662
00:27:27.865 --> 00:27:29.114
Are you gonna pamper me?

663
00:27:29.198 --> 00:27:31.782
- [laughs] Yes.
- All right, good.

664
00:27:31.865 --> 00:27:33.448
- But fame on Instagram,

665
00:27:33.531 --> 00:27:35.448
it's not the only goal.

666
00:27:35.531 --> 00:27:37.323
Likes, followers, views--

667
00:27:37.406 --> 00:27:41.531
all those metrics have become
this marker in our society

668
00:27:41.615 --> 00:27:44.031
for being a person
who is well-liked

669
00:27:44.114 --> 00:27:46.323
who has an interesting life.

670
00:27:46.406 --> 00:27:48.490
And that matters
for getting hired.

671
00:27:48.573 --> 00:27:51.323
That matters for getting
into relationships,

672
00:27:51.406 --> 00:27:52.865
for dating.

673
00:27:52.948 --> 00:27:54.782
If you don't participate,

674
00:27:54.865 --> 00:27:57.156
you're really locked out
of a lot of opportunities

675
00:27:57.239 --> 00:27:59.198
that other people get.

676
00:27:59.281 --> 00:28:00.615
- But for real,
look at this pattern.

677
00:28:00.698 --> 00:28:01.823
You gotta take a picture of it.

678
00:28:01.907 --> 00:28:04.156
- I shall.

679
00:28:04.239 --> 00:28:05.823
- I look like my mom.

680
00:28:05.907 --> 00:28:08.156
- ♪ I'm a boss, ain't no L,
let 'em see me in Chanel ♪

681
00:28:08.239 --> 00:28:10.031
♪ I be drippin',
and I'm killing everything ♪

682
00:28:10.114 --> 00:28:11.323
♪ Wish 'em well,
never checkin' for 'em ♪

683
00:28:11.406 --> 00:28:12.948
♪ Always keep it movin' ♪

684
00:28:13.031 --> 00:28:15.323
- They did such a good job
with your haircut too.

685
00:28:15.406 --> 00:28:17.615
- Yeah, I love the cut.
- It looks so good.

686
00:28:17.698 --> 00:28:18.657
It looks so natural.

687
00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:20.573
- I like it behind my ears too.
Wow.

688
00:28:20.657 --> 00:28:22.031
- ♪ Put in work ♪
- ♪ Put in work ♪

689
00:28:22.114 --> 00:28:23.239
- ♪ Put in work ♪
- ♪ Put in work ♪

690
00:28:23.323 --> 00:28:25.073
both: ♪ Put in work,
put in work, put in work ♪

691
00:28:25.156 --> 00:28:26.323
- ♪ Put in work ♪
- ♪ Put in work ♪

692
00:28:26.406 --> 00:28:27.365
- ♪ Put in work ♪
- ♪ Put in work ♪

693
00:28:27.448 --> 00:28:28.573
- ♪ Put in work ♪

694
00:28:28.657 --> 00:28:30.365
both: ♪ Put in work,
put in work, put in work ♪

695
00:28:30.448 --> 00:28:32.365
- Next up on the road to fame,

696
00:28:32.448 --> 00:28:34.490
we have to get these
up-and-coming influencers

697
00:28:34.573 --> 00:28:35.740
more followers.

698
00:28:35.823 --> 00:28:36.989
- ♪ Put in work ♪
- ♪ Put in work ♪

699
00:28:37.073 --> 00:28:39.865
both: ♪ Put in work,
put in work, put in work ♪

700
00:28:39.948 --> 00:28:41.198
- So online,
you don't have to go

701
00:28:41.281 --> 00:28:42.365
to the dark web or anything.

702
00:28:42.448 --> 00:28:43.657
You just go
to the straight-up Internet,

703
00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:46.490
and you can pretty much buy
anything you want.

704
00:28:46.573 --> 00:28:48.531
And right now,
I'm about to buy

705
00:28:48.615 --> 00:28:52.031
Dom, Wylie, and Chris
some fake friends.

706
00:28:52.114 --> 00:28:53.573
One website
that we've been using

707
00:28:53.657 --> 00:28:56.406
for this story, of course,
is called Famoid,

708
00:28:56.490 --> 00:28:58.406
F-A-M-O-I-D.

709
00:28:58.490 --> 00:29:00.406
And I'm gonna go there
right now,

710
00:29:00.490 --> 00:29:04.406
and I'm gonna buy Dominique
7,500 followers today

711
00:29:04.490 --> 00:29:08.907
for the grand price of $119.60.

712
00:29:08.989 --> 00:29:10.531
Kay.

713
00:29:10.615 --> 00:29:12.573
[inquisitive music]

714
00:29:12.657 --> 00:29:14.531
And there you go.
The order has been placed.

715
00:29:14.615 --> 00:29:16.073
So now it says,

716
00:29:16.156 --> 00:29:18.406
"Estimated delivery time:
three days."

717
00:29:18.490 --> 00:29:20.657
It'll actually take
a lot less time than that.

718
00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:22.239
It'll probably take
about 24 hours.

719
00:29:22.323 --> 00:29:24.573
You'll probably start to see it
happen pretty quickly.

720
00:29:24.657 --> 00:29:27.782
I'm now gonna do it again
for Wylie.

721
00:29:27.865 --> 00:29:30.239
♪ ♪

722
00:29:30.323 --> 00:29:33.114
Get a screenshot.

723
00:29:33.198 --> 00:29:37.406
And we're gonna buy Chris
7,500 followers.

724
00:29:37.490 --> 00:29:38.782
He'll start to see them come in

725
00:29:38.865 --> 00:29:40.615
in the next probably
couple of hours,

726
00:29:40.698 --> 00:29:42.740
and it'll trickle in
over the next few days.

727
00:29:42.823 --> 00:29:45.073
The companies do that
so that they don't alert

728
00:29:45.156 --> 00:29:48.406
Instagram's software
that notices, you know,

729
00:29:48.490 --> 00:29:49.615
a huge jump.

730
00:29:49.698 --> 00:29:56.698
♪ ♪

731
00:30:06.239 --> 00:30:09.698
- Yeah, my Instagram
is crazy right now.

732
00:30:09.782 --> 00:30:12.406
Like, this just happened
three hours ago.

733
00:30:12.490 --> 00:30:14.239
What the hell did Nick do?

734
00:30:14.323 --> 00:30:17.948
- I bought him 7,500 bots.

735
00:30:18.031 --> 00:30:19.782
So what exactly is a bot?

736
00:30:19.865 --> 00:30:21.782
Well, in short,
it's an algorithm

737
00:30:21.865 --> 00:30:24.448
that pretends to be
a real person on the Internet.

738
00:30:24.531 --> 00:30:26.323
[electronic whirring]

739
00:30:26.406 --> 00:30:29.114
These bots are created
by hackers and programmers

740
00:30:29.198 --> 00:30:31.281
who write code
that scour the web

741
00:30:31.365 --> 00:30:33.782
to steal countless
random identities online

742
00:30:33.865 --> 00:30:37.948
by pilfering people's photos
and names and bios.

743
00:30:38.031 --> 00:30:40.989
Then their code jumbles
all the stuff up together

744
00:30:41.073 --> 00:30:43.281
to create millions
of fake people

745
00:30:43.365 --> 00:30:46.156
who can be used to like,
comment, and follow

746
00:30:46.239 --> 00:30:49.281
millions of real people
on social media.

747
00:30:49.365 --> 00:30:53.073
crowd: [chanting]
USA! USA! USA! USA!

748
00:30:53.156 --> 00:30:54.657
- You likely heard
about these bots

749
00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:56.698
during recent elections,

750
00:30:56.782 --> 00:30:58.989
Brexit, and the rise
of the alt-right,

751
00:30:59.073 --> 00:31:00.989
where social media
was being used

752
00:31:01.073 --> 00:31:03.031
to drive division
around the globe,

753
00:31:03.114 --> 00:31:07.031
all done with fake people
sharing fake news.

754
00:31:07.114 --> 00:31:08.865
- Your social media feed
may have been part

755
00:31:08.948 --> 00:31:11.031
of Russia's interference
in the election.

756
00:31:11.114 --> 00:31:13.573
The issue is how
sophisticated computer bots

757
00:31:13.657 --> 00:31:15.573
distribute online content
and articles

758
00:31:15.657 --> 00:31:18.239
that could help Trump
and hurt Clinton.

759
00:31:18.323 --> 00:31:20.323
- But they also serve
a bigger role

760
00:31:20.406 --> 00:31:22.907
in a more mainstream deception

761
00:31:22.989 --> 00:31:25.573
by making people
appear more popular

762
00:31:25.657 --> 00:31:28.239
than they really are.

763
00:31:28.323 --> 00:31:30.823
And they're not just used
on social media.

764
00:31:30.907 --> 00:31:31.989
For a few dollars,

765
00:31:32.073 --> 00:31:34.490
you can buy fake bidders
on your listings on eBay.

766
00:31:34.573 --> 00:31:36.114
You can pay
for fake song downloads

767
00:31:36.198 --> 00:31:37.406
on music websites,

768
00:31:37.490 --> 00:31:40.698
fake sales of books,
and fake reviews of movies.

769
00:31:40.782 --> 00:31:43.323
You can pick if your bots
are male or female,

770
00:31:43.406 --> 00:31:44.406
American or Chinese,

771
00:31:44.490 --> 00:31:46.323
liberal or conservative.

772
00:31:46.406 --> 00:31:49.406
And right now, there are
hundreds of millions of them

773
00:31:49.490 --> 00:31:51.948
blending in online,
and most people

774
00:31:52.031 --> 00:31:54.281
can't tell them apart
from you and me.

775
00:31:54.365 --> 00:31:58.615
♪ ♪

776
00:31:58.698 --> 00:32:01.531
I don't have real chocolates,
so I'm gonna make some.

777
00:32:01.615 --> 00:32:04.073
Cocoa powder and butter.

778
00:32:04.156 --> 00:32:06.114
I can keep it like this.

779
00:32:06.198 --> 00:32:07.865
Here we go.

780
00:32:13.031 --> 00:32:14.907
All right, Wylie,
I'm gonna give you 50 bucks

781
00:32:14.989 --> 00:32:16.073
if you eat one of those
pats of butter.

782
00:32:16.156 --> 00:32:17.907
[laughs]
- I'll eat it. I like butter.

783
00:32:17.989 --> 00:32:19.907
[laughs]

784
00:32:19.989 --> 00:32:21.698
- Dom, you're gonna go
to the Four Seasons.

785
00:32:21.782 --> 00:32:24.073
Wylie, you seem more
like a Viceroy kind of guy.

786
00:32:24.156 --> 00:32:25.156
- Ooh.

787
00:32:27.198 --> 00:32:28.531
- How should she sit, Ash?
- Yeah.

788
00:32:28.615 --> 00:32:31.406
- If you extend that right leg
out a little more.

789
00:32:31.490 --> 00:32:33.948
Yeah, perfect.
[camera shutter snapping]

790
00:32:34.031 --> 00:32:36.239
And then look out that way
for me.

791
00:32:36.323 --> 00:32:38.782
Beautiful.
[camera shutter snapping]

792
00:32:38.865 --> 00:32:40.281
Just like that, yeah.

793
00:32:40.365 --> 00:32:43.156
[lively orchestral music]

794
00:32:43.239 --> 00:32:49.114
♪ ♪

795
00:32:49.198 --> 00:32:50.782
Perfect.
Yeah, I love that.

796
00:32:50.865 --> 00:32:53.573
[laughs]

797
00:32:53.657 --> 00:32:57.615
♪ ♪

798
00:32:57.698 --> 00:33:00.156
Beautiful.

799
00:33:00.239 --> 00:33:02.281
Ah, cute, I love that.

800
00:33:02.365 --> 00:33:05.448
[cell phone buzzing]

801
00:33:05.531 --> 00:33:07.156
Is there a way
to get both elbows up?

802
00:33:07.239 --> 00:33:08.782
Yeah.
- Hey.

803
00:33:08.865 --> 00:33:10.531
- There we go.

804
00:33:10.615 --> 00:33:11.989
Beautiful.

805
00:33:12.073 --> 00:33:13.198
- No, it's in the group text.

806
00:33:13.281 --> 00:33:14.657
You said you only look
at the group text.

807
00:33:14.740 --> 00:33:17.657
If you look at the text,
it's right there.

808
00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:19.031
- All right, ready.

809
00:33:19.114 --> 00:33:21.156
[camera shutter snaps]

810
00:33:21.239 --> 00:33:23.657
- T-U-J-U-N-G-A.

811
00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:24.989
North Hollywood.

812
00:33:25.073 --> 00:33:26.073
- Dominique,
could you look at me

813
00:33:26.156 --> 00:33:27.531
and do the same smile
with your glasses up?

814
00:33:29.907 --> 00:33:30.865
- Who's that?

815
00:33:30.948 --> 00:33:32.657
- My boss.
[chuckles]

816
00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:34.657
He thinks I'm at
my aunt's birthday right now.

817
00:33:34.740 --> 00:33:36.406
- Wylie, you're up.

818
00:33:40.615 --> 00:33:43.239
- [giggles]
I'm so uncomfortable.

819
00:33:43.323 --> 00:33:44.823
[laughter]

820
00:33:44.907 --> 00:33:46.782
Just direct me, please.
[laughs]

821
00:33:46.865 --> 00:33:48.615
- You can be looking
off your shoulder

822
00:33:48.698 --> 00:33:50.323
and then be mid
taking off your robe.

823
00:33:50.406 --> 00:33:52.989
- Oh, my God, okay.
- [laughs]

824
00:33:53.073 --> 00:33:55.365
- This is...
- [laughs]

825
00:33:55.448 --> 00:33:57.406
You got it. That's perfect.
- Something else.

826
00:33:57.490 --> 00:33:59.698
♪ ♪

827
00:33:59.782 --> 00:34:00.823
- Perfect.

828
00:34:00.907 --> 00:34:03.698
- We'll do one of you
reaching for a chocolate.

829
00:34:03.782 --> 00:34:05.156
Maybe drink as you're doing it.

830
00:34:05.239 --> 00:34:07.198
- Ooh, yeah.

831
00:34:07.281 --> 00:34:08.323
[camera shutter snaps]

832
00:34:08.406 --> 00:34:11.406
♪ ♪

833
00:34:14.031 --> 00:34:15.740
- So what are we doing here?

834
00:34:15.823 --> 00:34:18.531
Why are we making pretend
chocolates out of butter

835
00:34:18.615 --> 00:34:21.615
and filling up an old,
dirty kiddie pool with roses?

836
00:34:21.698 --> 00:34:23.198
It's gonna be great.

837
00:34:23.281 --> 00:34:25.239
And why is Chris pretending
he's working out

838
00:34:25.323 --> 00:34:27.365
at a private gym
in Beverly Hills

839
00:34:27.448 --> 00:34:30.239
when he's really just
in a warehouse downtown?

840
00:34:30.323 --> 00:34:33.239
[curious music]

841
00:34:33.323 --> 00:34:34.989
♪ ♪

842
00:34:35.073 --> 00:34:36.239
- All right,
y'all ready to get it?

843
00:34:36.323 --> 00:34:39.281
[vibrant operatic music]

844
00:34:39.365 --> 00:34:45.948
♪ ♪

845
00:34:46.031 --> 00:34:48.031
- [singing Italian aria]

846
00:34:48.114 --> 00:34:49.406
- How's it look?
- So good.

847
00:34:49.490 --> 00:34:50.657
- Okay, cool.

848
00:34:50.740 --> 00:34:54.865
We're simply doing what
so many other influencers do.

849
00:34:54.948 --> 00:34:56.281
We're faking it.

850
00:34:56.365 --> 00:34:57.740
♪ ♪

851
00:34:57.823 --> 00:34:59.907
- So much of it
is so contrived and fake.

852
00:34:59.989 --> 00:35:03.114
I've worked with influencers
for projects

853
00:35:03.198 --> 00:35:04.865
where, you know,
you select them

854
00:35:04.948 --> 00:35:07.406
off of their Instagram
and their images

855
00:35:07.490 --> 00:35:09.948
and then you ask them
to come in

856
00:35:10.031 --> 00:35:11.948
and do a shoot or an interview,

857
00:35:12.031 --> 00:35:14.740
and they will refuse
to take photos

858
00:35:14.823 --> 00:35:17.490
because they highly edit
their own images

859
00:35:17.573 --> 00:35:20.448
and they won't be comfortable
with whatever we shoot.

860
00:35:20.531 --> 00:35:23.615
- All right, should we do
some cucumbers?

861
00:35:23.698 --> 00:35:25.448
- Ah. Perfect.

862
00:35:25.531 --> 00:35:26.948
♪ ♪

863
00:35:27.031 --> 00:35:29.782
- Online, there are thousands
of tutorials

864
00:35:29.865 --> 00:35:31.490
explaining how to pretend
that you're

865
00:35:31.573 --> 00:35:33.073
on an elaborate vacation

866
00:35:33.156 --> 00:35:35.615
when you're really
just in your bedroom.

867
00:35:35.698 --> 00:35:38.281
Or as this influencer
pulled off...

868
00:35:38.365 --> 00:35:42.323
- I went on a luxury
dream vacation to Bali.

869
00:35:42.406 --> 00:35:43.615
♪ ♪

870
00:35:43.698 --> 00:35:47.531
Only problem is,
I was actually at IKEA.

871
00:35:47.615 --> 00:35:49.448
- And almost everyone
does this

872
00:35:49.531 --> 00:35:51.948
in one form or another.

873
00:35:52.031 --> 00:35:53.823
People fake
private gym trainings

874
00:35:53.907 --> 00:35:55.281
so that later,
they can go and get

875
00:35:55.365 --> 00:35:57.239
a free training
at a private gym.

876
00:35:57.323 --> 00:35:58.782
♪ ♪

877
00:35:58.865 --> 00:36:02.323
These fake photos
quickly become a currency

878
00:36:02.406 --> 00:36:05.657
that you can use
to get free real experiences,

879
00:36:05.740 --> 00:36:07.490
products, and sponsorships.

880
00:36:07.573 --> 00:36:10.531
[Chris grunting]

881
00:36:10.615 --> 00:36:13.031
♪ ♪

882
00:36:13.114 --> 00:36:14.490
- [whistles]
- [laughs]

883
00:36:14.573 --> 00:36:16.323
That boy did most of it.

884
00:36:16.406 --> 00:36:18.365
- Whoa. Whew.

885
00:36:18.448 --> 00:36:20.490
- Jesus.
- Wow, man.

886
00:36:20.573 --> 00:36:22.031
- That's crazy.

887
00:36:22.114 --> 00:36:25.323
[bright orchestral music]

888
00:36:25.406 --> 00:36:27.198
- All right, ready. Go.

889
00:36:27.281 --> 00:36:28.573
[camera shutter snaps]

890
00:36:29.406 --> 00:36:30.615
- [laughs]
- Get it high.

891
00:36:30.698 --> 00:36:32.156
- Yeah, get it high.

892
00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:33.448
[camera shutter snaps]

893
00:36:33.531 --> 00:36:34.823
- [laughs]

894
00:36:34.907 --> 00:36:36.365
- Try a little higher.
- Okay.

895
00:36:36.448 --> 00:36:38.657
♪ ♪

896
00:36:38.740 --> 00:36:39.823
- [laughs]

897
00:36:39.907 --> 00:36:42.073
You're just getting it,
like, behind you.

898
00:36:42.156 --> 00:36:44.114
♪ ♪

899
00:36:44.198 --> 00:36:46.657
- They fake all-expense-paid
camping trips

900
00:36:46.740 --> 00:36:48.239
so that later, they can get

901
00:36:48.323 --> 00:36:50.406
a free all-expense-paid
camping trip.

902
00:36:50.490 --> 00:36:51.698
There you go.
- That was it.

903
00:36:51.782 --> 00:36:53.365
- That's it.

904
00:36:53.448 --> 00:36:55.698
They fake hikes
in the redwoods

905
00:36:55.782 --> 00:36:56.948
so that they can try and get

906
00:36:57.031 --> 00:36:58.907
free hiking gear
and sponsorships.

907
00:36:58.989 --> 00:37:00.031
♪ ♪

908
00:37:00.114 --> 00:37:02.198
- Perfect. One more.

909
00:37:02.281 --> 00:37:04.198
[camera shutter snaps]

910
00:37:04.281 --> 00:37:05.698
- Do we have the toilet seat?

911
00:37:05.782 --> 00:37:08.073
They fake free upgrades
to first class

912
00:37:08.156 --> 00:37:10.114
or trips on private jets,

913
00:37:10.198 --> 00:37:12.365
and all you really need
to do that

914
00:37:12.448 --> 00:37:14.198
is a $12 toilet seat.

915
00:37:14.281 --> 00:37:15.323
[camera shutter snaps]

916
00:37:15.406 --> 00:37:17.365
- We work with a lot
of celebrities,

917
00:37:17.448 --> 00:37:19.239
and everything they post

918
00:37:19.323 --> 00:37:22.406
isn't necessarily, like,
genuine and of that day.

919
00:37:22.490 --> 00:37:25.239
It's very curated and,
you know,

920
00:37:25.323 --> 00:37:26.948
contrived in a lot of ways.

921
00:37:27.031 --> 00:37:28.114
- Look like you're relaxed.

922
00:37:28.198 --> 00:37:29.365
- [laughs]
- Further this way.

923
00:37:29.448 --> 00:37:31.073
♪ ♪

924
00:37:31.156 --> 00:37:33.740
- So it's not necessarily
only influencers doing it.

925
00:37:33.823 --> 00:37:35.323
I think it's like,
the platform

926
00:37:35.406 --> 00:37:39.365
has created basically
this one formula

927
00:37:39.448 --> 00:37:41.031
for how to use it.

928
00:37:41.114 --> 00:37:42.365
- [mimics whoosh]
Turbulence!

929
00:37:42.448 --> 00:37:43.907
No!
[laughs]

930
00:37:43.989 --> 00:37:45.281
- The damaging part

931
00:37:45.365 --> 00:37:49.448
to this whole
influencer world is,

932
00:37:49.531 --> 00:37:51.907
most of the time,
it's not real.

933
00:37:51.989 --> 00:37:53.573
You can fake instances

934
00:37:53.657 --> 00:37:55.907
where it looks like
you live in a mansion

935
00:37:55.989 --> 00:37:58.114
when you live in, like,
a studio apartment.

936
00:37:58.198 --> 00:37:59.615
Like, in one of your photos

937
00:37:59.698 --> 00:38:01.615
where she was
at Sequoia National Park,

938
00:38:01.698 --> 00:38:04.740
there's, like,
a fence beam there.

939
00:38:04.823 --> 00:38:06.281
[laughs]

940
00:38:06.365 --> 00:38:08.114
But to the average user,
I don't think

941
00:38:08.198 --> 00:38:10.782
they would pick up on that.

942
00:38:10.865 --> 00:38:14.281
- Sometimes people even fake
things without realizing it,

943
00:38:14.365 --> 00:38:15.615
like Liz.

944
00:38:15.698 --> 00:38:17.323
- I have faked it.
- What do you mean?

945
00:38:17.406 --> 00:38:20.490
- I moved to LA for two years,
and no one knew.

946
00:38:20.573 --> 00:38:23.239
- Liz is the face
of the hugely popular

947
00:38:23.323 --> 00:38:25.823
@newyorkcity
Instagram account.

948
00:38:25.907 --> 00:38:27.114
- I did, like,

949
00:38:27.198 --> 00:38:29.657
a year-and-a-half,
two-year stint in Los Angeles

950
00:38:29.740 --> 00:38:32.281
and kept running the account.

951
00:38:32.365 --> 00:38:34.573
People would think
I was in New York

952
00:38:34.657 --> 00:38:37.281
and I was, like,
in Los Angeles at the beach.

953
00:38:37.365 --> 00:38:39.198
[camera shutter snaps]

954
00:38:39.281 --> 00:38:41.156
That's so fucked up, isn't it?

955
00:38:47.073 --> 00:38:49.281
- All right, so here we go.

956
00:38:49.365 --> 00:38:50.948
We're gonna
hang these down a little.

957
00:38:51.031 --> 00:38:52.740
[festive music]

958
00:38:52.823 --> 00:38:53.698
- Perfect.

959
00:38:53.782 --> 00:38:55.865
♪ ♪

960
00:38:55.948 --> 00:38:58.657
Yeah, like this.
- That looks good, Wylie.

961
00:38:58.740 --> 00:38:59.698
[camera shutter snaps]

962
00:38:59.782 --> 00:39:01.698
♪ ♪

963
00:39:01.782 --> 00:39:03.490
[cell phone buzzing]
[laughter]

964
00:39:03.573 --> 00:39:04.531
- Your phone's ringing,
and I honestly...

965
00:39:04.615 --> 00:39:05.657
- Mine?
- Think it might be your boss.

966
00:39:05.740 --> 00:39:07.198
- Uh-oh.
- [laughs]

967
00:39:07.281 --> 00:39:10.657
- No, everyone, shut up.
Everyone, shut up.

968
00:39:10.740 --> 00:39:12.198
Hey.

969
00:39:12.281 --> 00:39:13.865
[stifled laughter]

970
00:39:13.948 --> 00:39:16.948
- [speaking unintelligibly
over phone]

971
00:39:19.865 --> 00:39:20.989
- Sure, and her
listing appointment

972
00:39:21.073 --> 00:39:21.989
was moved till 2:00.

973
00:39:22.073 --> 00:39:23.031
You just have to go
up the driveway.

974
00:39:23.114 --> 00:39:24.365
I'll tell Shane.

975
00:39:24.448 --> 00:39:26.698
You just have to go
up the driveway.

976
00:39:26.782 --> 00:39:29.531
- [speaking unintelligibly
over phone]

977
00:39:29.615 --> 00:39:31.948
- She said, "When you get
to the listing appointment,

978
00:39:32.031 --> 00:39:34.531
you just go up the driveway."

979
00:39:34.615 --> 00:39:36.531
- Got it.
- Got it.

980
00:39:36.615 --> 00:39:37.989
Bye.

981
00:39:38.073 --> 00:39:39.657
- [laughs]
- Oh, my God, he's so rude.

982
00:39:39.740 --> 00:39:41.573
- He's so rude.
[laughs]

983
00:39:41.657 --> 00:39:43.989
- Okay, where were we?

984
00:39:44.073 --> 00:39:47.198
- God.
[laughs]

985
00:39:47.281 --> 00:39:50.156
[drone whirring]

986
00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:52.198
[dramatic music]

987
00:39:52.281 --> 00:39:54.239
- Yeah, I can't see
a damn thing.

988
00:39:54.323 --> 00:39:56.531
♪ ♪

989
00:39:56.615 --> 00:39:58.657
Oh, he's about to whup my ass.

990
00:39:58.740 --> 00:40:00.198
- And of course,
you have to have

991
00:40:00.281 --> 00:40:03.323
the fake drone footage
of the fake boxing fight.

992
00:40:03.406 --> 00:40:05.031
♪ ♪

993
00:40:05.114 --> 00:40:06.365
- Jab, jab, right.
Let me see that jab.

994
00:40:06.448 --> 00:40:07.323
There you go.

995
00:40:07.406 --> 00:40:10.615
♪ ♪

996
00:40:10.698 --> 00:40:12.740
- When you buy
all these fake bots,

997
00:40:12.823 --> 00:40:14.281
they don't automatically start

998
00:40:14.365 --> 00:40:17.114
liking and commenting
your fake photos.

999
00:40:17.198 --> 00:40:20.365
So now you have to start
buying that engagement too.

1000
00:40:20.448 --> 00:40:22.448
♪ ♪

1001
00:40:22.531 --> 00:40:23.907
How's it going?

1002
00:40:23.989 --> 00:40:24.907
- It's good.
- Yeah?

1003
00:40:24.989 --> 00:40:25.989
You want to see
how this magic works?

1004
00:40:26.073 --> 00:40:27.198
- I do. Yeah, let me see.
- All right.

1005
00:40:27.281 --> 00:40:28.865
So this is my Insta phone.

1006
00:40:28.948 --> 00:40:30.907
It's my bots and my...
- Your burner phone.

1007
00:40:30.989 --> 00:40:32.740
- My--all these
different things on it.

1008
00:40:32.823 --> 00:40:33.907
So I have this app,

1009
00:40:33.989 --> 00:40:36.406
and I can give you
25 followers right now.

1010
00:40:36.490 --> 00:40:38.531
It might take a minute
to get started,

1011
00:40:38.615 --> 00:40:40.948
so while we're waiting,
I'll show you how to do likes.

1012
00:40:41.031 --> 00:40:42.948
So let's pick a photo.

1013
00:40:44.365 --> 00:40:46.239
- Let's do this one
from May 5th.

1014
00:40:46.323 --> 00:40:49.281
- All right, I'm gonna
click this.

1015
00:40:49.365 --> 00:40:52.114
So there, I just
purchased you 15 likes.

1016
00:40:52.198 --> 00:40:53.989
So you're gonna get
those likes coming in.

1017
00:40:54.073 --> 00:40:55.073
- Okay.

1018
00:40:55.156 --> 00:40:57.156
- I can also do comments.

1019
00:40:57.239 --> 00:40:58.365
All I do is press a button,

1020
00:40:58.448 --> 00:41:00.615
and it will just start
auto-commenting.

1021
00:41:00.698 --> 00:41:02.948
And it uses hacked accounts.
It uses bots.

1022
00:41:03.031 --> 00:41:04.073
It uses everything.
- Okay.

1023
00:41:04.156 --> 00:41:07.073
- And so that's essentially
how that works.

1024
00:41:07.156 --> 00:41:09.615
And it's not just influencers.

1025
00:41:09.698 --> 00:41:13.698
Journalists, politicians,
and even A-list celebrities

1026
00:41:13.782 --> 00:41:16.823
all purchase bots.

1027
00:41:16.907 --> 00:41:18.782
Why is there so little done

1028
00:41:18.865 --> 00:41:20.615
to try and stop all this
from happening?

1029
00:41:20.698 --> 00:41:22.406
[suspenseful music]

1030
00:41:22.490 --> 00:41:24.114
Money.

1031
00:41:24.198 --> 00:41:26.907
- Why wouldn't Instagram
stop this?

1032
00:41:26.989 --> 00:41:28.490
Because it inflates
their numbers.

1033
00:41:28.573 --> 00:41:30.948
- If you think about
what these companies monetize,

1034
00:41:31.031 --> 00:41:32.490
it's engagement
and user growth,

1035
00:41:32.573 --> 00:41:34.698
and bots generate
both of those.

1036
00:41:34.782 --> 00:41:37.114
- Everyone's trying to show

1037
00:41:37.198 --> 00:41:40.698
that their Instagram strategy
has great metrics.

1038
00:41:40.782 --> 00:41:43.114
And so there's really
no incentive

1039
00:41:43.198 --> 00:41:46.031
for anyone to get rid
of these bots.

1040
00:41:46.114 --> 00:41:47.657
- It starts at the top,

1041
00:41:47.740 --> 00:41:50.031
Wall Street, where they invest
so much money

1042
00:41:50.114 --> 00:41:51.156
into these tech companies

1043
00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:53.573
because the return
on their investment

1044
00:41:53.657 --> 00:41:55.531
is unlike
any other opportunity

1045
00:41:55.615 --> 00:41:57.698
on the entire planet.

1046
00:41:57.782 --> 00:41:59.531
Exactly how big?

1047
00:41:59.615 --> 00:42:02.989
Trillions and trillions
of dollars big.

1048
00:42:03.073 --> 00:42:04.156
As you can imagine,

1049
00:42:04.239 --> 00:42:06.865
it's not really in
the best interest of bankers

1050
00:42:06.948 --> 00:42:09.448
to ask if the people
on the platforms are real

1051
00:42:09.531 --> 00:42:12.490
because the money surely is.

1052
00:42:12.573 --> 00:42:13.823
Now, the tech companies,

1053
00:42:13.948 --> 00:42:15.198
they love to gloat

1054
00:42:15.281 --> 00:42:17.531
about how many
active users they have

1055
00:42:17.615 --> 00:42:19.114
so that the value
of their companies

1056
00:42:19.198 --> 00:42:20.698
continue to grow.

1057
00:42:20.782 --> 00:42:23.156
So while places
like Instagram and Twitter

1058
00:42:23.239 --> 00:42:25.198
do a little policing
of the bots,

1059
00:42:25.281 --> 00:42:27.031
they largely turn a blind eye

1060
00:42:27.114 --> 00:42:28.531
to their platforms
being filled

1061
00:42:28.615 --> 00:42:30.657
with so many fake accounts.

1062
00:42:30.740 --> 00:42:33.156
♪ ♪

1063
00:42:33.239 --> 00:42:34.448
Just ask this guy.

1064
00:42:34.531 --> 00:42:36.031
He is a bot broker

1065
00:42:36.114 --> 00:42:38.698
who can help make you famous
for a price.

1066
00:42:38.782 --> 00:42:41.531
- Instagram used to be
about 7% to 9% bots,

1067
00:42:41.615 --> 00:42:43.490
but that number has,
of course, risen.

1068
00:42:43.573 --> 00:42:45.448
Some of the most famous people
in the world

1069
00:42:45.531 --> 00:42:48.531
have 50%, 60% bots
on their page.

1070
00:42:48.615 --> 00:42:50.365
- It goes without saying
that the people

1071
00:42:50.448 --> 00:42:53.365
making, buying, and selling
those fake accounts

1072
00:42:53.448 --> 00:42:56.239
are also making
a small fortune.

1073
00:42:56.323 --> 00:42:57.948
One small vendor told us

1074
00:42:58.031 --> 00:43:00.573
you can make
around $3 million a month

1075
00:43:00.657 --> 00:43:02.615
from a little bot farm.

1076
00:43:02.698 --> 00:43:04.573
Some of the bigger
bot dealers,

1077
00:43:04.657 --> 00:43:06.281
they make
about ten times that.

1078
00:43:06.365 --> 00:43:07.573
- This is big business.

1079
00:43:07.657 --> 00:43:10.198
These larger companies
would be valued at least--

1080
00:43:10.281 --> 00:43:11.823
if I had to give it a figure,
it'd be at least

1081
00:43:11.907 --> 00:43:14.281
$10 million, $20 million,
maybe more, because--

1082
00:43:14.365 --> 00:43:15.948
- All based on fake bots.

1083
00:43:16.031 --> 00:43:17.239
- Yes.

1084
00:43:17.323 --> 00:43:19.907
- And then there's
the influencers.

1085
00:43:19.989 --> 00:43:22.698
- There's so much money
in the social media ecosystem.

1086
00:43:22.782 --> 00:43:23.865
It's insane.

1087
00:43:23.948 --> 00:43:25.406
- I'm working with some brands

1088
00:43:25.490 --> 00:43:28.531
that put 100%
of their advertising budget

1089
00:43:28.615 --> 00:43:29.573
into social media.

1090
00:43:29.657 --> 00:43:32.365
- It is a real economy.

1091
00:43:32.448 --> 00:43:35.698
I mean, we built
an entire business around it.

1092
00:43:35.782 --> 00:43:38.573
- The influencer agency
that Liz helped create

1093
00:43:38.657 --> 00:43:41.448
sold for tens of millions
of dollars.

1094
00:43:41.531 --> 00:43:43.406
- This is the big box
of Lippie Pencils.

1095
00:43:43.490 --> 00:43:45.239
- I got a KitchenAid Artisan
stand mixer

1096
00:43:45.323 --> 00:43:46.406
from Best Buy.

1097
00:43:46.490 --> 00:43:48.573
- So how much can these people
actually make?

1098
00:43:48.657 --> 00:43:51.448
- These influencers right now
are hot shit.

1099
00:43:51.531 --> 00:43:53.615
- We offered, I think it was

1100
00:43:53.698 --> 00:43:57.448
these two 16-year-old
mega-Youtubers,

1101
00:43:57.531 --> 00:44:03.907
like, $36,000 each to post
a few frames on Snapchat.

1102
00:44:03.989 --> 00:44:05.281
- A majority
of these influencers

1103
00:44:05.365 --> 00:44:08.114
are anywhere between
18 and 25 years old.

1104
00:44:08.198 --> 00:44:11.073
- I've paid influencers
$80,000

1105
00:44:11.156 --> 00:44:13.698
for one post
and two tweets before.

1106
00:44:13.782 --> 00:44:16.615
- They're working
with "Fortune" 500 companies.

1107
00:44:16.698 --> 00:44:18.740
- They are
a distribution platform.

1108
00:44:18.823 --> 00:44:20.907
They're a media company
in and of themselves.

1109
00:44:20.989 --> 00:44:24.823
- Kim Kardashian charges
as much as $500,000

1110
00:44:24.907 --> 00:44:27.490
for a single post
on Instagram.

1111
00:44:27.573 --> 00:44:29.198
- I have been obsessed

1112
00:44:29.281 --> 00:44:32.490
with the two-step elixir kit
by Queen Pegasus.

1113
00:44:32.573 --> 00:44:36.031
- Yet in 2019,
a research study sparked press

1114
00:44:36.114 --> 00:44:38.989
that many celebrity accounts
like Kim Kardashian's

1115
00:44:39.073 --> 00:44:41.782
have tens of millions
of fake bots.

1116
00:44:41.865 --> 00:44:43.865
So with all that money
sloshing around,

1117
00:44:43.948 --> 00:44:46.156
it's really in no one's
best interest

1118
00:44:46.239 --> 00:44:47.782
to call bullshit
on any of this.

1119
00:44:50.239 --> 00:44:51.698
- Hi!
- Hi!

1120
00:44:51.782 --> 00:44:54.448
- How are you?

1121
00:44:54.531 --> 00:44:55.490
- Nice to meet you.

1122
00:44:55.573 --> 00:44:56.782
- Nice to meet you.

1123
00:44:56.865 --> 00:44:58.698
- Yes.
This is gonna be so much fun.

1124
00:44:58.782 --> 00:45:00.531
- I'm so excited.
- I know. I know.

1125
00:45:00.615 --> 00:45:02.865
- This is Kenzie
from the casting call,

1126
00:45:02.948 --> 00:45:06.531
who offered to come by
and teach Dom the ropes.

1127
00:45:06.615 --> 00:45:09.365
She has 15,000 real followers

1128
00:45:09.448 --> 00:45:12.989
and is considered
a micro-influencer.

1129
00:45:13.073 --> 00:45:15.865
- How'd you get into
the whole influencing?

1130
00:45:15.948 --> 00:45:17.323
- Well, I just--

1131
00:45:17.406 --> 00:45:19.406
I mean, kind of
for modeling and acting stuff,

1132
00:45:19.490 --> 00:45:21.198
but I was just like,

1133
00:45:21.281 --> 00:45:23.740
I would much rather be
an influencer

1134
00:45:23.823 --> 00:45:24.740
than working at
a restaurant, you know?

1135
00:45:24.823 --> 00:45:25.782
- Yeah, totally.

1136
00:45:25.865 --> 00:45:26.782
- Or, like, all these odd jobs

1137
00:45:26.865 --> 00:45:28.865
that we kind of have to work.

1138
00:45:28.948 --> 00:45:29.989
- This is, like, the longest
thing I own in LA.

1139
00:45:30.073 --> 00:45:31.406
- Oh, wait, no,
this would be great.

1140
00:45:31.490 --> 00:45:32.490
This would be great.
- Okay, cool.

1141
00:45:32.573 --> 00:45:34.031
Hopefully it still fits.
- Let's take this--yes.

1142
00:45:34.114 --> 00:45:35.531
- [laughs]
- That's perfect.

1143
00:45:35.615 --> 00:45:38.031
Okay.

1144
00:45:38.114 --> 00:45:40.823
The first look
is old Hollywood glam.

1145
00:45:40.907 --> 00:45:43.365
So this will be great.

1146
00:45:43.448 --> 00:45:46.907
I always pick kind of a muse
and a story line to follow,

1147
00:45:46.989 --> 00:45:49.573
and then from there,
we just can, like,

1148
00:45:49.657 --> 00:45:50.615
bang out as many--
- Create it.

1149
00:45:50.698 --> 00:45:51.823
- Yeah.

1150
00:45:51.907 --> 00:45:53.448
- It's a lot of work
keeping up with an audience.

1151
00:45:53.531 --> 00:45:55.657
Traditional celebrities,
they can just go on camera,

1152
00:45:55.740 --> 00:45:57.948
do some interviews,
post some shots, you know.

1153
00:45:58.031 --> 00:46:00.198
They don't have to engage 24-7
with their audience

1154
00:46:00.281 --> 00:46:02.198
the way that influencers
are expected to.

1155
00:46:02.281 --> 00:46:04.448
- You know, some of, like,
the top influencers,

1156
00:46:04.531 --> 00:46:07.406
they're posting, like,
three or four times a day.

1157
00:46:07.490 --> 00:46:09.531
People just want
to see your content

1158
00:46:09.615 --> 00:46:11.740
and what you're creating
all the time.

1159
00:46:11.823 --> 00:46:13.073
But we're gonna
get you up there, girl.

1160
00:46:13.156 --> 00:46:14.073
- All right.
- We gonna do it.

1161
00:46:14.156 --> 00:46:15.448
- Okay, great.
- We gonna do it. Yeah.

1162
00:46:15.531 --> 00:46:17.239
[bright orchestral music]

1163
00:46:17.323 --> 00:46:18.823
I mean, we're not gonna
wear all of these,

1164
00:46:18.907 --> 00:46:20.698
but we have options.
- That's great.

1165
00:46:20.782 --> 00:46:22.907
- Kenzie and her crew
of photographers,

1166
00:46:22.989 --> 00:46:24.740
stylists, and makeup artists

1167
00:46:24.823 --> 00:46:27.782
are using an entire mansion
for today's photo shoot,

1168
00:46:27.865 --> 00:46:32.281
which only cost us $613.20,

1169
00:46:32.365 --> 00:46:35.323
which is not bad to pretend
you live like this.

1170
00:46:35.406 --> 00:46:39.448
- Okay, and I have everything
separated into the looks.

1171
00:46:39.531 --> 00:46:41.073
- That's good.

1172
00:46:41.156 --> 00:46:42.490
- This is look four.

1173
00:46:42.573 --> 00:46:45.114
Look one. Look one, look one.

1174
00:46:45.198 --> 00:46:46.615
Nice.

1175
00:46:46.698 --> 00:46:49.948
This is perfect for the last,
like, glam.

1176
00:46:50.031 --> 00:46:52.782
[gasps]
I love this yellow room.

1177
00:46:52.865 --> 00:46:54.406
Okay, amazing.

1178
00:46:54.490 --> 00:46:56.239
- We just did a photo shoot,

1179
00:46:56.323 --> 00:46:58.198
and now we're doing
another one.

1180
00:46:58.281 --> 00:46:59.989
That's because
the previous shoot

1181
00:47:00.073 --> 00:47:02.615
only lasted us a few days.

1182
00:47:02.698 --> 00:47:06.323
Now it's time
to feed the beast again.

1183
00:47:06.406 --> 00:47:08.323
- Oh, my gosh.
Keep those eyes there.

1184
00:47:08.406 --> 00:47:10.657
- And if we want to get
our up-and-coming stars

1185
00:47:10.740 --> 00:47:13.365
some free stuff
or even get them paid,

1186
00:47:13.448 --> 00:47:14.782
we have to make it seem
like they live

1187
00:47:14.865 --> 00:47:16.865
an influential lifestyle.

1188
00:47:16.948 --> 00:47:18.823
♪ ♪

1189
00:47:18.907 --> 00:47:20.365
- Quite the production.

1190
00:47:20.448 --> 00:47:21.657
♪ ♪

1191
00:47:21.740 --> 00:47:24.156
It's crazy. It's crazy.

1192
00:47:24.239 --> 00:47:26.114
- Can you hold your martini
in the other arm?

1193
00:47:26.198 --> 00:47:27.156
- Yes.

1194
00:47:27.239 --> 00:47:28.490
- That's cute.

1195
00:47:28.573 --> 00:47:29.989
- Stunning.

1196
00:47:30.073 --> 00:47:31.698
- What people don't realize
when they look

1197
00:47:31.782 --> 00:47:33.031
at these influencers
and they think,

1198
00:47:33.114 --> 00:47:35.490
"Wow, this is an amazing life,"
and oftentimes, it is,

1199
00:47:35.573 --> 00:47:37.156
is how much work
goes into that.

1200
00:47:37.239 --> 00:47:39.490
It is so much work.

1201
00:47:39.573 --> 00:47:40.531
- Beautiful.

1202
00:47:40.615 --> 00:47:41.698
- You're a copywriter,

1203
00:47:41.782 --> 00:47:43.782
you're a content
production team,

1204
00:47:43.865 --> 00:47:46.365
you are building
your own entity of sorts,

1205
00:47:46.448 --> 00:47:49.657
and that takes
a tremendous amount of smarts.

1206
00:47:49.740 --> 00:47:51.031
- I don't know; is this--
yeah, someone called you.

1207
00:47:51.114 --> 00:47:52.657
- I love that.
- Yeah, gorgeous.

1208
00:47:52.740 --> 00:47:54.531
- Okay!
- Oh!

1209
00:47:54.615 --> 00:47:55.948
- She's gonna do
some dirty things

1210
00:47:56.031 --> 00:47:57.156
in the White House.

1211
00:47:57.239 --> 00:47:59.031
- Right?
- Oh, yes.

1212
00:47:59.114 --> 00:48:01.365
- Wow. These are amazing.

1213
00:48:01.448 --> 00:48:04.114
♪ ♪

1214
00:48:11.114 --> 00:48:14.657
- Here we are, the private jet.

1215
00:48:14.740 --> 00:48:17.198
Literally anything
is available to you

1216
00:48:17.281 --> 00:48:18.615
to help fake your shoots,

1217
00:48:18.698 --> 00:48:21.740
including fake private jets.

1218
00:48:21.823 --> 00:48:23.198
Can I get you a drink, sir?
- Yeah, sure.

1219
00:48:23.281 --> 00:48:25.073
What you got?
- [chuckles]

1220
00:48:25.156 --> 00:48:27.907
- I can't believe some clowns
actually book this thing.

1221
00:48:27.989 --> 00:48:30.406
- It's $49.99 an hour--
50 bucks an hour.

1222
00:48:30.490 --> 00:48:31.740
We tried to get it last week,

1223
00:48:31.823 --> 00:48:34.365
and it was booked
round the clock.

1224
00:48:34.448 --> 00:48:35.365
Let's see, what else
do we have here?

1225
00:48:35.448 --> 00:48:36.406
That's it.
- Nice.

1226
00:48:36.490 --> 00:48:37.573
- So we'll put this on here,
and then we're gonna

1227
00:48:37.657 --> 00:48:38.865
do a little photo shoot.

1228
00:48:38.948 --> 00:48:41.406
- Are these pretzels
gluten-free?

1229
00:48:41.490 --> 00:48:42.865
- [chuckles]
- I've been trying to get away

1230
00:48:42.948 --> 00:48:45.406
from gluten, you know?

1231
00:48:45.490 --> 00:48:46.948
- All right, let me get
some pictures of you

1232
00:48:47.031 --> 00:48:48.740
while you're on your jet.
- Mm, mm, mm.

1233
00:48:48.823 --> 00:48:51.531
- Do you want to look
out the window?

1234
00:48:51.615 --> 00:48:53.281
- Oh, yeah.
What a nice view.

1235
00:48:53.365 --> 00:48:54.865
I love having the window seat.

1236
00:48:54.948 --> 00:48:56.989
♪ ♪

1237
00:48:57.073 --> 00:48:58.114
- I'd be curious to see
if any of your friends

1238
00:48:58.198 --> 00:48:59.239
knew it was fake.

1239
00:48:59.323 --> 00:49:00.448
[camera shutter snaps]

1240
00:49:00.531 --> 00:49:02.198
Would you post this
on your Instagram?

1241
00:49:02.281 --> 00:49:03.365
- No.

1242
00:49:03.448 --> 00:49:05.073
It feels not right for me.

1243
00:49:05.156 --> 00:49:06.907
It's a circus.

1244
00:49:06.989 --> 00:49:08.406
It's a complete circus.

1245
00:49:08.490 --> 00:49:10.239
- Look at me a second.

1246
00:49:10.323 --> 00:49:11.740
[camera shutter snaps]

1247
00:49:11.823 --> 00:49:14.989
- I'd much rather just show me

1248
00:49:15.073 --> 00:49:16.948
and document the things
that I do

1249
00:49:17.031 --> 00:49:18.823
because I believe that,

1250
00:49:18.907 --> 00:49:20.448
you know,
I'm an influential person,

1251
00:49:20.531 --> 00:49:22.281
Instagram or not.

1252
00:49:22.365 --> 00:49:24.448
You know, I would say
I influence

1253
00:49:24.531 --> 00:49:26.823
every person that I touch
and every person that,

1254
00:49:26.907 --> 00:49:29.615
you know, gets to spend
some time around me and, like,

1255
00:49:29.698 --> 00:49:34.114
absorb the energy and, like,
witness who I am.

1256
00:49:34.198 --> 00:49:37.698
Like, I don't need to do
any more fake private jets.

1257
00:49:37.782 --> 00:49:40.615
I don't need to do any of this.

1258
00:49:40.698 --> 00:49:43.657
There's so much that goes
into planning the fakeness

1259
00:49:43.740 --> 00:49:46.573
and, like, portraying something
that's not really there.

1260
00:49:46.657 --> 00:49:49.198
That's pretty crazy to me.

1261
00:49:49.281 --> 00:49:50.448
- Yes, yes, yes.
Oh, my God.

1262
00:49:50.531 --> 00:49:51.740
Keep everything about that.
Wait.

1263
00:49:51.823 --> 00:49:52.989
- I'm stuck.
- It's fine.

1264
00:49:53.073 --> 00:49:55.156
- Eyes at me for one.

1265
00:49:55.239 --> 00:49:56.989
Beautiful.

1266
00:49:57.073 --> 00:49:59.365
- Influencers who are
just getting started now

1267
00:49:59.448 --> 00:50:01.448
are trying to get in there
really quickly

1268
00:50:01.531 --> 00:50:04.948
and cash in while they can
before the platform, you know,

1269
00:50:05.031 --> 00:50:07.823
changes and evolves
or fades away.

1270
00:50:07.907 --> 00:50:09.989
- Yeah, these shoots
get just so exhausting,

1271
00:50:10.073 --> 00:50:13.031
but we bang out, you know,
four different looks.

1272
00:50:16.907 --> 00:50:18.323
- Just, like, look away
on these.

1273
00:50:18.406 --> 00:50:19.823
Yeah, perfect.

1274
00:50:19.907 --> 00:50:22.198
- People are buying
lighting rigs

1275
00:50:22.281 --> 00:50:25.657
for their average lives
so that they look amazing

1276
00:50:25.740 --> 00:50:27.031
for the people
who might want to be

1277
00:50:27.114 --> 00:50:28.323
a part of those lives,

1278
00:50:28.406 --> 00:50:30.657
because we're all making
our own movies,

1279
00:50:30.740 --> 00:50:32.448
and we're trying
to be the star.

1280
00:50:32.531 --> 00:50:34.657
♪ ♪

1281
00:50:34.740 --> 00:50:35.698
- Beautiful.
- All right.

1282
00:50:35.782 --> 00:50:37.698
We gotta go back into glam.

1283
00:50:37.782 --> 00:50:40.198
- Everyone is trying
to beat the algorithm,

1284
00:50:40.281 --> 00:50:42.406
getting more followers,
getting more eyeballs.

1285
00:50:44.782 --> 00:50:46.698
- You have to kind of be gross

1286
00:50:46.782 --> 00:50:49.823
and be self-promotional
to get anywhere.

1287
00:50:49.907 --> 00:50:50.823
- All right.

1288
00:50:50.907 --> 00:50:53.073
- Fame is just fake anyway,
right?

1289
00:50:53.156 --> 00:50:55.490
And so, like, why not hustle
and put yourself out there

1290
00:50:55.573 --> 00:50:58.031
and try to get what you want?

1291
00:50:58.114 --> 00:51:00.073
- And then--oh, I love that.

1292
00:51:00.156 --> 00:51:02.865
- It is truly
some of the easiest

1293
00:51:02.948 --> 00:51:05.740
and some of the hardest money
you'll ever make.

1294
00:51:05.823 --> 00:51:08.198
- One, two, and three.

1295
00:51:08.281 --> 00:51:10.823
One, two, and three.

1296
00:51:10.907 --> 00:51:12.740
One, two,
and three.

1297
00:51:12.823 --> 00:51:14.365
♪ ♪

1298
00:51:14.448 --> 00:51:16.823
- When we started this project,
I thought it would be simple.

1299
00:51:16.948 --> 00:51:19.198
I'd buy some bots, some likes,
some comments,

1300
00:51:19.281 --> 00:51:20.239
and that would be it.

1301
00:51:20.323 --> 00:51:22.198
But once we got
on this hamster wheel,

1302
00:51:22.281 --> 00:51:24.907
it only started
to go faster and faster,

1303
00:51:24.989 --> 00:51:27.573
and before we knew it,
none of us could get off.

1304
00:51:27.657 --> 00:51:30.073
Mmm.
- Pepperoni is my favorite.

1305
00:51:30.156 --> 00:51:31.365
- [muffled]
Pepperoni is your favorite?

1306
00:51:31.448 --> 00:51:33.239
- Mm-hmm.
- Mmm.

1307
00:51:33.323 --> 00:51:37.198
[inquisitive music]

1308
00:51:37.281 --> 00:51:39.740
That's because the more
fake accounts you buy,

1309
00:51:39.823 --> 00:51:41.573
the more fake likes
and comments

1310
00:51:41.657 --> 00:51:43.281
you need on your posts.

1311
00:51:43.365 --> 00:51:50.365
♪ ♪

1312
00:51:56.865 --> 00:52:01.156
Before you know it, you're me,
buying your "influencers"

1313
00:52:01.239 --> 00:52:04.907
all these fake interactions
several times a day...

1314
00:52:04.989 --> 00:52:11.365
♪ ♪

1315
00:52:11.448 --> 00:52:13.989
All while hoping that
you don't alert the algorithm

1316
00:52:14.073 --> 00:52:15.907
that could kick them
off the service

1317
00:52:15.989 --> 00:52:18.865
and trying to ensure
that your fake audience

1318
00:52:18.948 --> 00:52:21.615
arrives at the exact time
you post

1319
00:52:21.698 --> 00:52:24.989
in order for everything
to appear real.

1320
00:52:25.073 --> 00:52:27.948
♪ ♪

1321
00:52:28.031 --> 00:52:29.782
- Honey, when are you gonna
go to sleep?

1322
00:52:29.865 --> 00:52:32.114
- Just buying some bots.
Give me a second.

1323
00:52:32.198 --> 00:52:38.615
♪ ♪

1324
00:52:38.698 --> 00:52:39.823
On top of all that,

1325
00:52:39.948 --> 00:52:42.281
Wylie and Dom are worried
that they're not getting

1326
00:52:42.365 --> 00:52:44.865
enough likes and comments
on their photos.

1327
00:52:44.948 --> 00:52:47.198
Chris isn't happy
about all the fake bots

1328
00:52:47.281 --> 00:52:50.114
because he says it's ruining
his Instagram account.

1329
00:52:50.198 --> 00:52:52.031
♪ ♪

1330
00:52:52.114 --> 00:52:53.531
- It's a good one.

1331
00:52:53.615 --> 00:52:55.989
Let me tag them.

1332
00:52:56.073 --> 00:52:57.657
- And I keep
getting ripped off

1333
00:52:57.740 --> 00:52:59.657
by a 14-year-old kid in Egypt

1334
00:52:59.740 --> 00:53:02.448
who is posing
as a major bot dealer.

1335
00:53:02.531 --> 00:53:09.531
♪ ♪

1336
00:53:12.740 --> 00:53:15.031
But putting all of this
aside for now,

1337
00:53:15.114 --> 00:53:17.615
the craziest part
about this whole experiment

1338
00:53:17.698 --> 00:53:19.698
is that after
just three months,

1339
00:53:19.782 --> 00:53:22.365
it's actually starting
to work.

1340
00:53:22.448 --> 00:53:24.114
- I don't know if I like these.

1341
00:53:26.323 --> 00:53:27.740
They're okay.

1342
00:53:27.823 --> 00:53:29.198
They were free.

1343
00:53:29.281 --> 00:53:30.865
[chuckles]

1344
00:53:30.948 --> 00:53:33.365
- A sunglasses outlet
reached out to Dom,

1345
00:53:33.448 --> 00:53:35.365
offering two
free pairs of shades

1346
00:53:35.448 --> 00:53:38.531
in exchange for a couple
of Instagram posts,

1347
00:53:38.615 --> 00:53:40.073
which I then filled up

1348
00:53:40.156 --> 00:53:43.323
with a bunch of fake likes
and fake comments.

1349
00:53:43.406 --> 00:53:45.239
- All right, man. Let's go.

1350
00:53:45.323 --> 00:53:46.531
Tell me where we at.

1351
00:53:46.615 --> 00:53:47.865
- We're at
Royal Personal Training.

1352
00:53:47.948 --> 00:53:48.907
We're here to kick some ass,

1353
00:53:48.989 --> 00:53:51.198
gonna get a good workout,
blood flow.

1354
00:53:51.281 --> 00:53:53.031
Just good energy, good vibes.

1355
00:53:53.114 --> 00:53:54.323
Let's go. Come on.
- All right.

1356
00:53:54.406 --> 00:53:57.490
- And Chris got a random
message out of nowhere

1357
00:53:57.573 --> 00:53:59.531
from a private gym
in Beverly Hills

1358
00:53:59.615 --> 00:54:01.365
that caters to influencers,

1359
00:54:01.448 --> 00:54:03.531
asking if he wanted
a free session

1360
00:54:03.615 --> 00:54:05.740
in exchange for him
posting on Instagram

1361
00:54:05.823 --> 00:54:08.865
and, of course,
tagging the private gym.

1362
00:54:08.948 --> 00:54:10.907
♪ ♪

1363
00:54:10.989 --> 00:54:13.490
And then there's Wylie.

1364
00:54:17.865 --> 00:54:21.198
- I was getting some anxiety
because some people--

1365
00:54:21.281 --> 00:54:22.615
or I think it was
just this one guy--

1366
00:54:22.698 --> 00:54:24.239
kept messaging me
about these bots,

1367
00:54:24.323 --> 00:54:25.573
and they were increasing
really fast,

1368
00:54:25.657 --> 00:54:26.823
and one morning,
I just woke up

1369
00:54:26.907 --> 00:54:28.406
and I had 12,000 followers,

1370
00:54:28.490 --> 00:54:30.239
and it was kind of scary.

1371
00:54:30.323 --> 00:54:31.782
But I guess he caught on

1372
00:54:31.865 --> 00:54:33.365
and was like,
"What's going on?"

1373
00:54:33.448 --> 00:54:34.907
and was kind of rude about it.
[laughs]

1374
00:54:34.989 --> 00:54:36.615
And I don't know.

1375
00:54:36.698 --> 00:54:38.740
The whole thing just made me
feel really uncomfortable.

1376
00:54:38.823 --> 00:54:41.865
[slow piano music]

1377
00:54:41.948 --> 00:54:42.865
♪ ♪

1378
00:54:42.948 --> 00:54:44.365
He's just a random dude
from Atlanta

1379
00:54:44.448 --> 00:54:45.823
that I sort of know.

1380
00:54:45.907 --> 00:54:48.156
But it made me uncomfortable
with him calling me out.

1381
00:54:48.239 --> 00:54:50.782
♪ ♪

1382
00:54:50.865 --> 00:54:53.156
It's not a fun feeling.
It's just not.

1383
00:54:53.239 --> 00:54:55.782
♪ ♪

1384
00:54:55.865 --> 00:54:58.323
And I just put my Instagram
account on private.

1385
00:54:58.406 --> 00:55:00.156
I don't know what it is
about the trolls

1386
00:55:00.239 --> 00:55:01.989
that just really get me.
[chuckles]

1387
00:55:02.073 --> 00:55:03.448
♪ ♪

1388
00:55:03.531 --> 00:55:04.531
- People are starting
to look

1389
00:55:04.615 --> 00:55:06.323
at some of the negative effects
on social media,

1390
00:55:06.406 --> 00:55:09.114
not just interpersonal effects
like feeling inadequate

1391
00:55:09.198 --> 00:55:10.323
because you don't have
enough followers

1392
00:55:10.406 --> 00:55:12.156
but also the harassment
that comes along with that,

1393
00:55:12.239 --> 00:55:13.239
the bullying,

1394
00:55:13.323 --> 00:55:15.782
all of that toxicity
on social media.

1395
00:55:15.865 --> 00:55:17.782
- I have a 14-year-old sister

1396
00:55:17.865 --> 00:55:20.782
who's very affected
by the social media,

1397
00:55:20.865 --> 00:55:21.948
the Snapchat and the Instagram

1398
00:55:22.031 --> 00:55:22.948
and the Facebook
and everything,

1399
00:55:23.031 --> 00:55:24.490
and it's very depressing.

1400
00:55:24.573 --> 00:55:26.323
♪ ♪

1401
00:55:26.406 --> 00:55:28.323
And I didn't think
that I'd be one of the people

1402
00:55:28.406 --> 00:55:30.114
who was so affected by it.

1403
00:55:30.198 --> 00:55:32.531
I thought
that I kind of did this

1404
00:55:32.615 --> 00:55:34.531
because I thought I was okay
with all that,

1405
00:55:34.615 --> 00:55:37.490
but it really happens
to everyone.

1406
00:55:37.573 --> 00:55:40.865
- I think it's not possible
to separate the negatives

1407
00:55:40.948 --> 00:55:43.448
of influencer culture,
viral mechanics

1408
00:55:43.531 --> 00:55:46.989
from the technology platforms
that they sit on.

1409
00:55:47.073 --> 00:55:49.365
We keep children
away from cigarettes

1410
00:55:49.448 --> 00:55:50.823
because of the harm,

1411
00:55:50.907 --> 00:55:52.531
and we keep them
away from weapons,

1412
00:55:52.615 --> 00:55:53.907
and yet in this realm,

1413
00:55:53.989 --> 00:55:55.698
we have left them
to the wolves.

1414
00:55:55.782 --> 00:55:57.156
♪ ♪

1415
00:55:57.239 --> 00:56:00.114
- The uptick in teen suicides
and depression,

1416
00:56:00.198 --> 00:56:02.865
I think it's directly related
to social media.

1417
00:56:02.948 --> 00:56:04.948
♪ ♪

1418
00:56:05.031 --> 00:56:06.490
If you're just seeking fame,

1419
00:56:06.573 --> 00:56:07.989
if you're just
seeking the attention

1420
00:56:08.073 --> 00:56:09.657
that you see being paid

1421
00:56:09.740 --> 00:56:13.531
in those situations,
it's never gonna be enough.

1422
00:56:13.615 --> 00:56:15.782
And if any of that dips,

1423
00:56:15.865 --> 00:56:17.907
you risk being quite destroyed
by it.

1424
00:56:17.989 --> 00:56:22.490
♪ ♪

1425
00:56:22.573 --> 00:56:25.406
- It is a beautiful,
beautiful morning

1426
00:56:25.490 --> 00:56:26.698
here in Abu Dhabi today.

1427
00:56:26.782 --> 00:56:28.073
- Oh, my gosh,
thank you so much

1428
00:56:28.156 --> 00:56:30.865
to Marc Jacobs for sending over
some birthday flowers.

1429
00:56:30.948 --> 00:56:32.365
I really
don't deserve you guys.

1430
00:56:32.448 --> 00:56:33.365
Oh, my God.

1431
00:56:33.448 --> 00:56:36.031
- I just came home
to a beautiful package

1432
00:56:36.114 --> 00:56:37.698
from Lahana Swim.

1433
00:56:37.782 --> 00:56:38.698
- Hey, guys.

1434
00:56:38.782 --> 00:56:40.114
So we're gonna use
my Vejo blender

1435
00:56:40.198 --> 00:56:41.406
for the first time.

1436
00:56:42.989 --> 00:56:45.323
[blender whirring]

1437
00:56:45.406 --> 00:56:49.031
[curious orchestral music]

1438
00:56:49.114 --> 00:56:52.740
But I've gotten
some free stuff.

1439
00:56:52.823 --> 00:56:55.740
Kashi! And granola, damn.

1440
00:56:55.823 --> 00:56:57.740
Cannabis-infused social drink.

1441
00:56:57.823 --> 00:56:59.406
Sisel toothpastes.

1442
00:56:59.490 --> 00:57:00.948
Oh, I'm excited for that.

1443
00:57:01.031 --> 00:57:03.573
♪ ♪

1444
00:57:03.657 --> 00:57:04.865
I did my whole, like,
"Dominique Druckman,

1445
00:57:04.948 --> 00:57:06.365
huge fan of your company,"

1446
00:57:06.448 --> 00:57:08.406
and they said, "Hey, Dominique.

1447
00:57:08.490 --> 00:57:10.239
"So stoked
you'd like to work with us.

1448
00:57:10.323 --> 00:57:12.573
"We'd love to gift you
one of our cute phone cases

1449
00:57:12.657 --> 00:57:13.907
to rep on your IG feed."

1450
00:57:13.989 --> 00:57:15.239
My initials

1451
00:57:15.323 --> 00:57:16.615
and boobs.

1452
00:57:16.698 --> 00:57:18.740
♪ ♪

1453
00:57:18.823 --> 00:57:21.156
- Dom is approaching
100,000 followers,

1454
00:57:21.239 --> 00:57:24.448
and the free products
are piling in from everywhere.

1455
00:57:24.531 --> 00:57:26.406
- Wow, five bottles of wine.

1456
00:57:26.490 --> 00:57:28.490
[gasps]
Oh, my gosh.

1457
00:57:28.573 --> 00:57:31.989
[gasps]
You guys.

1458
00:57:32.073 --> 00:57:33.239
Energy Bombs.

1459
00:57:33.323 --> 00:57:34.740
Clay cleansing balm.

1460
00:57:34.823 --> 00:57:36.156
A CBD vibrator.

1461
00:57:36.239 --> 00:57:37.782
[camera shutter snapping]

1462
00:57:37.865 --> 00:57:39.448
Lamo footwear.

1463
00:57:39.531 --> 00:57:42.073
[camera shutter snapping]

1464
00:57:42.156 --> 00:57:44.782
- As Dom started to get
all of this free stuff

1465
00:57:44.865 --> 00:57:47.281
and dozens
of free opportunities,

1466
00:57:47.365 --> 00:57:48.615
all because people perceived

1467
00:57:48.698 --> 00:57:50.907
that she was
a famous influencer,

1468
00:57:50.989 --> 00:57:54.782
something started to happen
that we didn't anticipate.

1469
00:57:54.865 --> 00:57:58.114
- So we got a package
from Gorjana,

1470
00:57:58.198 --> 00:58:00.615
which is a jewelry company
I really like.

1471
00:58:00.698 --> 00:58:02.989
They DM'd me,
and I got to pick out, like,

1472
00:58:03.073 --> 00:58:04.281
pieces of jewelry.

1473
00:58:04.365 --> 00:58:05.907
[camera shutter snapping]

1474
00:58:05.989 --> 00:58:08.239
- We had assumed that we
would have to reach out

1475
00:58:08.323 --> 00:58:09.448
to places and brands

1476
00:58:09.531 --> 00:58:11.406
in order to get
these free experiences.

1477
00:58:11.490 --> 00:58:14.323
But instead
they started to find her.

1478
00:58:14.406 --> 00:58:15.948
- "Hi, Dominique.
My name is Paige."

1479
00:58:16.031 --> 00:58:17.907
"Hi, my name is Shayna
with Moon Oral Care."

1480
00:58:17.989 --> 00:58:19.156
"We'd love to work with you."

1481
00:58:19.239 --> 00:58:20.989
Swipe up for my code

1482
00:58:21.073 --> 00:58:24.239
and get your teeth white.

1483
00:58:32.156 --> 00:58:34.865
- For Wylie, things are going
a little differently.

1484
00:58:39.907 --> 00:58:41.907
- My boss' car
ran out of gas,

1485
00:58:41.989 --> 00:58:43.156
so I got a message from him

1486
00:58:43.239 --> 00:58:45.490
that I needed to fill it up
with gas.

1487
00:58:45.573 --> 00:58:46.823
[laughs]

1488
00:58:46.907 --> 00:58:48.156
When I moved here from Atlanta,

1489
00:58:48.239 --> 00:58:51.406
I did not think I'd be filling
other people's cars with gas.

1490
00:58:57.782 --> 00:59:00.740
[somber music]

1491
00:59:00.823 --> 00:59:03.865
♪ ♪

1492
00:59:03.948 --> 00:59:07.698
- After Wylie had been
harassed by the "troll,"

1493
00:59:07.782 --> 00:59:10.198
he'd stopped posting
on Instagram.

1494
00:59:10.281 --> 00:59:12.573
He became obsessed
with the bots,

1495
00:59:12.657 --> 00:59:16.365
worried that now that he had
almost 30,000 followers,

1496
00:59:16.448 --> 00:59:18.365
people would figure out
that they weren't real

1497
00:59:18.448 --> 00:59:20.865
if he didn't get enough
fake likes and fake comments

1498
00:59:20.948 --> 00:59:22.365
on his posts.

1499
00:59:22.448 --> 00:59:23.865
♪ ♪

1500
00:59:23.948 --> 00:59:25.989
- All right, so about to post
my first Instagram

1501
00:59:26.073 --> 00:59:28.031
in, as Nick says,
two months.

1502
00:59:28.114 --> 00:59:29.323
I think it was, like, a month.

1503
00:59:29.406 --> 00:59:33.073
But not nervous. I'm fine.
[laughs]

1504
00:59:33.156 --> 00:59:36.365
I was told the automatic likes
were back in check.

1505
00:59:36.448 --> 00:59:43.239
♪ ♪

1506
00:59:43.323 --> 00:59:44.782
All right.

1507
00:59:44.865 --> 00:59:46.239
I'm gonna press Share.

1508
00:59:46.323 --> 00:59:52.573
♪ ♪

1509
00:59:52.657 --> 00:59:54.073
I feel good.

1510
00:59:54.156 --> 00:59:56.615
♪ ♪

1511
00:59:56.698 --> 00:59:57.948
- How many likes?

1512
00:59:58.031 --> 00:59:59.031
- So far, zero.

1513
00:59:59.114 --> 01:00:00.740
[laughs]
Hold on.

1514
01:00:00.823 --> 01:00:04.073
♪ ♪

1515
01:00:04.156 --> 01:00:06.406
Just terrifying.

1516
01:00:06.490 --> 01:00:08.490
[cell phone chirps]
I got one like.

1517
01:00:08.573 --> 01:00:09.573
[chuckles]

1518
01:00:09.657 --> 01:00:10.782
[cell phone chirps]

1519
01:00:10.865 --> 01:00:12.365
Real person.

1520
01:00:12.448 --> 01:00:14.948
Oh, I got a comment.

1521
01:00:15.031 --> 01:00:16.073
Feeling good.

1522
01:00:16.156 --> 01:00:18.031
A little nervous that the bots
haven't kicked in.

1523
01:00:18.114 --> 01:00:20.615
[laughs]

1524
01:00:20.698 --> 01:00:24.073
Sweet. 30 likes.

1525
01:00:24.156 --> 01:00:28.239
Here I am, staring at it,
watching the likes come in.

1526
01:00:28.323 --> 01:00:31.406
38. Not that great.

1527
01:00:31.490 --> 01:00:34.031
I'm torn in the process
because I wish that I could say

1528
01:00:34.114 --> 01:00:36.114
I had 3,000 likes right now.

1529
01:00:36.198 --> 01:00:37.948
I still am obviously
looking out for them

1530
01:00:38.031 --> 01:00:39.782
and would really appreciate
if they would come through.

1531
01:00:39.865 --> 01:00:42.281
[chuckles]

1532
01:00:42.365 --> 01:00:44.948
The number right now is...

1533
01:00:45.031 --> 01:00:47.782
165.

1534
01:00:47.865 --> 01:00:49.823
Not so hot. Not so hot.

1535
01:00:49.907 --> 01:00:52.281
♪ ♪

1536
01:00:52.365 --> 01:00:53.782
One of the things is that

1537
01:00:53.865 --> 01:00:54.948
I don't know
what my dreams are,

1538
01:00:55.031 --> 01:00:56.615
I don't know what my goals are,

1539
01:00:56.698 --> 01:00:58.406
and I didn't really have
an envisionment.

1540
01:00:58.490 --> 01:01:01.239
I just kind of wanted to be
happy and across the country

1541
01:01:01.323 --> 01:01:02.323
and just kind of
do something different

1542
01:01:02.406 --> 01:01:03.657
and away
from my friends and family

1543
01:01:03.740 --> 01:01:04.989
that I've already
spent my whole life with,

1544
01:01:05.073 --> 01:01:07.323
and I've done that.

1545
01:01:07.406 --> 01:01:08.657
So I think I accomplished
that dream,

1546
01:01:08.740 --> 01:01:12.490
but I'm still working
on my next step of dreams.

1547
01:01:12.573 --> 01:01:16.490
So we got one bot like
14 seconds ago.

1548
01:01:16.573 --> 01:01:17.989
See what happens.

1549
01:01:18.073 --> 01:01:19.365
All right, I got another bot.

1550
01:01:19.448 --> 01:01:21.948
We got a live one.

1551
01:01:22.031 --> 01:01:27.031
27 minutes into the post,
176 likes.

1552
01:01:27.114 --> 01:01:28.323
Yay.
[cell phone chirps]

1553
01:01:28.406 --> 01:01:32.531
And I just got
my third bot like.

1554
01:01:32.615 --> 01:01:35.031
[upbeat music]

1555
01:01:35.114 --> 01:01:36.531
- I'm at APL today.

1556
01:01:36.615 --> 01:01:38.031
They have a new store
in The Grove.

1557
01:01:38.114 --> 01:01:40.365
It's beautiful
looks like an art gallery.

1558
01:01:40.448 --> 01:01:41.657
♪ ♪

1559
01:01:41.740 --> 01:01:43.031
- So, so far,
what are your favorites?

1560
01:01:43.114 --> 01:01:44.365
- I think these.
- These ones?

1561
01:01:44.448 --> 01:01:45.365
- These for sure.

1562
01:01:45.448 --> 01:01:46.365
- Yeah, these are
fan favorites.

1563
01:01:46.448 --> 01:01:47.823
I love wearing these ones.

1564
01:01:47.907 --> 01:01:49.031
- It got to a point
where Dom

1565
01:01:49.114 --> 01:01:51.698
could simply tag a brand
in a photo

1566
01:01:51.782 --> 01:01:53.031
and they'd be the ones
reaching out,

1567
01:01:53.114 --> 01:01:55.239
asking her to take
their products for free.

1568
01:01:55.323 --> 01:01:57.573
- I'm getting
some free sneakers.

1569
01:01:57.657 --> 01:01:59.198
- How'd you get
the free sneakers?

1570
01:01:59.281 --> 01:02:00.365
- [laughs]

1571
01:02:00.448 --> 01:02:02.406
We've got a lot of followers,
so...

1572
01:02:02.490 --> 01:02:03.948
I'm an influencer.

1573
01:02:05.281 --> 01:02:06.323
Duh.

1574
01:02:06.406 --> 01:02:10.989
♪ ♪

1575
01:02:11.073 --> 01:02:15.740
I've been getting so many more
auditions and callbacks.

1576
01:02:15.823 --> 01:02:17.239
My agent, he's like,

1577
01:02:17.323 --> 01:02:19.198
"Yeah, your Instagram has,
like, blown up,

1578
01:02:19.281 --> 01:02:20.531
"and that's definitely
helped you

1579
01:02:20.615 --> 01:02:23.740
get into the doors of, like,
a lot of casting offices."

1580
01:02:23.823 --> 01:02:30.865
♪ ♪

1581
01:02:35.490 --> 01:02:37.406
- Then out of nowhere,

1582
01:02:37.490 --> 01:02:39.740
Dom got a private message
on Instagram,

1583
01:02:39.823 --> 01:02:41.782
inviting her to this.

1584
01:02:41.865 --> 01:02:43.448
- Oh, my gosh,
are you so excited?

1585
01:02:43.531 --> 01:02:44.907
- So excited.
- Do you have any--

1586
01:02:44.989 --> 01:02:47.073
Gabey, can you help her
get this?

1587
01:02:47.156 --> 01:02:49.031
I think this should fit
in the trunk.

1588
01:02:49.114 --> 01:02:51.239
- Let's see. Moment of truth.

1589
01:02:51.323 --> 01:02:52.281
- Yeah.
- Yeah.

1590
01:02:52.365 --> 01:02:54.406
See, we got this, guys.

1591
01:02:54.490 --> 01:02:55.948
[light classical music]

1592
01:02:56.031 --> 01:02:57.531
- Okay, hi, ladies!

1593
01:02:57.615 --> 01:03:00.740
We're so freaking excited
to have y'all.

1594
01:03:00.823 --> 01:03:05.406
We are literally going
on a photo shoot road trip.

1595
01:03:05.490 --> 01:03:07.281
It's gonna be
aggressive at times.

1596
01:03:07.365 --> 01:03:08.698
- [laughs]

1597
01:03:08.782 --> 01:03:09.948
- But we're gonna have
the best time.

1598
01:03:10.031 --> 01:03:11.448
If you didn't know
where you were going by now,

1599
01:03:11.531 --> 01:03:12.448
guess what.

1600
01:03:12.531 --> 01:03:14.615
The doors are closed,
and you're going.

1601
01:03:14.698 --> 01:03:17.281
And I'm so freakin' excited!
Go, go, yes!

1602
01:03:17.365 --> 01:03:19.989
[all cheering]

1603
01:03:20.073 --> 01:03:21.948
♪ ♪

1604
01:03:22.031 --> 01:03:24.114
- An all-expense-paid

1605
01:03:24.198 --> 01:03:27.281
VIP influencer road trip

1606
01:03:27.365 --> 01:03:31.948
valued at $5,000
with free gifts and clothes,

1607
01:03:32.031 --> 01:03:33.031
hair and makeup,

1608
01:03:33.114 --> 01:03:35.114
and modeling
for a clothing line.

1609
01:03:35.198 --> 01:03:38.657
- [singing Italian aria]

1610
01:03:38.740 --> 01:03:40.782
- Collectively,
the women on this bus

1611
01:03:40.865 --> 01:03:43.406
have several million
followers.

1612
01:03:43.490 --> 01:03:47.031
And then there was poor Dom,
who had to really put

1613
01:03:47.114 --> 01:03:49.073
her acting skills
to the test here.

1614
01:03:49.156 --> 01:03:50.323
- On the bus,
some of the girls

1615
01:03:50.406 --> 01:03:51.657
are super standoffish.

1616
01:03:51.740 --> 01:03:53.989
Everybody was
on their phones a lot.

1617
01:03:54.073 --> 01:03:56.281
But, you know, I want
to look good next to them.

1618
01:03:56.365 --> 01:03:58.198
What are you doing
for Valentine's Day?

1619
01:04:02.406 --> 01:04:03.406
- Okay.

1620
01:04:05.406 --> 01:04:07.156
- Fun.

1621
01:04:07.239 --> 01:04:08.198
- All right.

1622
01:04:08.281 --> 01:04:13.948
♪ ♪

1623
01:04:17.531 --> 01:04:18.531
- Yeah.

1624
01:04:20.740 --> 01:04:24.323
- All right, so if any of the
following ladies are ready:

1625
01:04:24.406 --> 01:04:28.823
Helen, Zenya, Stewart.

1626
01:04:28.948 --> 01:04:30.531
Malachi's gonna shoot
with you.

1627
01:04:30.615 --> 01:04:33.031
- Our first stop was a desert,

1628
01:04:33.114 --> 01:04:34.823
and all the girls
are changing on the bus,

1629
01:04:34.907 --> 01:04:36.907
and we have to go get our
suitcases out of the trunk,

1630
01:04:36.989 --> 01:04:39.573
and changing our shoes and,
like, all of these things.

1631
01:04:39.657 --> 01:04:41.698
♪ ♪

1632
01:04:41.782 --> 01:04:44.198
- And then do a couple, like,
walking towards me a bit.

1633
01:04:44.281 --> 01:04:45.698
♪ ♪

1634
01:04:45.782 --> 01:04:48.073
Perfect. And then go back.

1635
01:04:48.156 --> 01:04:50.782
♪ ♪

1636
01:04:50.865 --> 01:04:52.323
- Yes, that's good.

1637
01:04:52.406 --> 01:04:53.823
Yeah, that's great.

1638
01:04:53.907 --> 01:04:55.531
♪ ♪

1639
01:04:55.615 --> 01:04:57.865
Let's do serious vogue,
yeah.

1640
01:04:57.948 --> 01:04:59.490
♪ ♪

1641
01:04:59.573 --> 01:05:00.490
- Are you ready
for the fake laugh?

1642
01:05:00.573 --> 01:05:01.573
- I am ready.

1643
01:05:01.657 --> 01:05:03.323
Three...
- [chuckles]

1644
01:05:03.406 --> 01:05:05.865
- [laughing] Two, one.

1645
01:05:05.948 --> 01:05:08.448
- Today there's a lot of on,
off, be cold,

1646
01:05:08.531 --> 01:05:12.573
take photos, back on,
be freezing cold, take photos.

1647
01:05:12.657 --> 01:05:14.365
Then we went
to another location,

1648
01:05:14.448 --> 01:05:16.281
which is an abandoned
water park.

1649
01:05:16.365 --> 01:05:18.448
♪ ♪

1650
01:05:18.531 --> 01:05:20.281
- Maybe spin with your coat.

1651
01:05:20.365 --> 01:05:22.448
♪ ♪

1652
01:05:22.531 --> 01:05:24.281
Yeah. Hold it right there.
Perfect.

1653
01:05:24.365 --> 01:05:25.907
♪ ♪

1654
01:05:25.989 --> 01:05:27.114
- I'm freezing.

1655
01:05:27.198 --> 01:05:28.698
I feel like I have, like,
icicle boogers.

1656
01:05:28.782 --> 01:05:29.989
[laughs]

1657
01:05:30.073 --> 01:05:33.782
All these clothes are, like,
the cheapest fucking linen.

1658
01:05:33.865 --> 01:05:35.907
I love it.

1659
01:05:35.989 --> 01:05:37.406
But a lot of the girls
are like,

1660
01:05:37.490 --> 01:05:38.865
"I don't even know
if I can use these photos."

1661
01:05:38.948 --> 01:05:40.406
I'm like,
"These are incredible photos.

1662
01:05:40.490 --> 01:05:41.740
What are you talking about?"

1663
01:05:41.823 --> 01:05:43.448
- That's great. Right there.
Yeah.

1664
01:05:43.531 --> 01:05:46.406
- I think all of our standards
are very different.

1665
01:05:46.490 --> 01:05:48.907
- Three, two, one.
- Smile.

1666
01:05:48.989 --> 01:05:50.406
[laughter]

1667
01:05:50.490 --> 01:05:52.948
[lively music]

1668
01:05:53.031 --> 01:05:55.989
- [vocalizing]

1669
01:05:56.073 --> 01:06:03.031
♪ ♪

1670
01:06:19.531 --> 01:06:21.948
- What feels like
20 hours later,

1671
01:06:22.031 --> 01:06:24.448
we finally made it
to Las Vegas.

1672
01:06:24.531 --> 01:06:26.989
- Whoo. Vegas.

1673
01:06:27.073 --> 01:06:29.448
- And I'm exhausted.

1674
01:06:29.531 --> 01:06:32.281
I've gotta do a whole nother
day of this tomorrow.

1675
01:06:32.365 --> 01:06:39.406
♪ ♪

1676
01:06:41.114 --> 01:06:44.615
Today we are going
to the actual trade show.

1677
01:06:44.698 --> 01:06:47.156
[unintelligible chatter]

1678
01:06:47.239 --> 01:06:48.323
Oh, here she is.

1679
01:06:48.406 --> 01:06:50.323
all: Hey!
- Hi, guys!

1680
01:06:50.406 --> 01:06:51.865
Hey.
- Hello.

1681
01:06:51.948 --> 01:06:54.615
Okay, say "cheese."
Look forward and say "cheese."

1682
01:06:54.698 --> 01:06:56.531
- Rachel, she's doing, like,
a partnership

1683
01:06:56.615 --> 01:06:58.323
with this shoe company
called Lamo.

1684
01:06:58.406 --> 01:07:00.323
We came over
to take some photos.

1685
01:07:00.406 --> 01:07:03.823
[cheery music]

1686
01:07:03.907 --> 01:07:06.323
And I get a free pair
of fuzzy snugs,

1687
01:07:06.406 --> 01:07:08.114
so I'm gonna be very happy
about that.

1688
01:07:08.198 --> 01:07:09.657
Have you done other trips
with Rachel?

1689
01:07:09.740 --> 01:07:11.365
- I did the Coachella one...
- Oh, right.

1690
01:07:11.448 --> 01:07:12.823
- Last year; it was really fun.
- Okay.

1691
01:07:12.907 --> 01:07:14.114
- Have you?
- No.

1692
01:07:14.198 --> 01:07:15.365
- First one?
- First one. Yes.

1693
01:07:15.448 --> 01:07:16.740
- It's just a lot
of fun events.

1694
01:07:16.823 --> 01:07:18.907
- Yeah.
- It's my first one too.

1695
01:07:18.989 --> 01:07:20.031
- What do you think?

1696
01:07:20.114 --> 01:07:21.573
♪ ♪

1697
01:07:21.657 --> 01:07:23.198
- [laughs]
- Okay.

1698
01:07:23.281 --> 01:07:24.865
I think a lot of the girls
are over it,

1699
01:07:24.948 --> 01:07:27.365
or it's not
what they expected.

1700
01:07:27.448 --> 01:07:29.198
I think all of these girls

1701
01:07:29.281 --> 01:07:32.740
make a lot more money
for posting stuff.

1702
01:07:32.823 --> 01:07:35.365
That's why they hustle
so much more.

1703
01:07:35.448 --> 01:07:36.989
- Okay, smile.

1704
01:07:37.073 --> 01:07:40.698
- These girls live, breathe,
sleep to take photos,

1705
01:07:40.782 --> 01:07:43.239
to collaborate,
to get a new camera,

1706
01:07:43.323 --> 01:07:44.989
to go to a cool location.

1707
01:07:45.073 --> 01:07:47.073
- So why don't we just
group together

1708
01:07:47.156 --> 01:07:48.531
since we're already, like,
doing that,

1709
01:07:48.615 --> 01:07:50.073
and then you guys--
does that work?

1710
01:07:50.156 --> 01:07:51.823
- Yeah.
- Yeah, okay, cool.

1711
01:07:51.907 --> 01:07:54.198
- Two of the girls
have gone to, like, hustle

1712
01:07:54.281 --> 01:07:55.740
to different booths.

1713
01:07:59.823 --> 01:08:00.740
- Turkey.
- Yes.

1714
01:08:00.823 --> 01:08:01.907
- Oh, you're from Turkey.
- Yes.

1715
01:08:01.989 --> 01:08:02.989
- Oh, amazing.
- Oh, cool.

1716
01:08:04.448 --> 01:08:05.782
- Oh, perfect.
- Thank you.

1717
01:08:08.490 --> 01:08:09.698
- Yes.
- Thank you.

1718
01:08:09.782 --> 01:08:12.281
- I think, at the beginning,
I was very passé about it,

1719
01:08:12.365 --> 01:08:14.740
but now I admire it.

1720
01:08:14.823 --> 01:08:17.365
That's their full-time job,
and it's not easy.

1721
01:08:17.448 --> 01:08:19.907
♪ ♪

1722
01:08:19.989 --> 01:08:22.573
At the airport,
they were making spreadsheets

1723
01:08:22.657 --> 01:08:23.907
of, like, all the people
they spoke to

1724
01:08:23.989 --> 01:08:25.406
and the contact there
and, like,

1725
01:08:25.490 --> 01:08:26.865
what the brand was about.

1726
01:08:26.948 --> 01:08:28.865
♪ ♪

1727
01:08:28.948 --> 01:08:29.948
- I'll carry your bag.

1728
01:08:30.031 --> 01:08:31.198
- Three, two, one.

1729
01:08:31.281 --> 01:08:33.782
♪ ♪

1730
01:08:33.865 --> 01:08:36.365
- I'm so tired,
but I'm really glad I went.

1731
01:08:36.448 --> 01:08:43.490
♪ ♪

1732
01:08:46.907 --> 01:08:50.281
If I got paid a lot of money
to not have another job,

1733
01:08:50.365 --> 01:08:51.448
I would do this all the time.

1734
01:08:51.531 --> 01:08:56.573
♪ ♪

1735
01:08:58.031 --> 01:09:00.281
- Chris' path
in this social experiment

1736
01:09:00.365 --> 01:09:03.490
has become
its own unexpected story.

1737
01:09:03.573 --> 01:09:04.948
- This is this new song.

1738
01:09:05.031 --> 01:09:06.323
This is the instrumental.

1739
01:09:06.406 --> 01:09:07.615
[upbeat electronic music
playing]

1740
01:09:07.698 --> 01:09:09.907
I wrote it, like,
over the Christmas break

1741
01:09:09.989 --> 01:09:12.740
when I went
to go see my family.

1742
01:09:12.823 --> 01:09:16.114
♪ This from a place
I used to call H-O-M-E ♪

1743
01:09:16.198 --> 01:09:18.948
♪ Same place where
you can't trust your homies ♪

1744
01:09:19.031 --> 01:09:20.406
♪ 'Cause they been lyin'
where you lay ♪

1745
01:09:20.490 --> 01:09:22.698
♪ So you can't get no sleep ♪

1746
01:09:22.782 --> 01:09:24.198
♪ Uh ♪

1747
01:09:24.281 --> 01:09:26.531
♪ Know what I'm sayin' ♪

1748
01:09:26.615 --> 01:09:27.698
♪ Yeah ♪

1749
01:09:31.907 --> 01:09:33.615
I be seeing people out here.

1750
01:09:33.698 --> 01:09:35.365
You know, usually
you just put it in there

1751
01:09:35.448 --> 01:09:38.406
and you just, you know,
chill out for a few minutes

1752
01:09:38.490 --> 01:09:39.698
and then let it do its thing,

1753
01:09:39.782 --> 01:09:41.989
but when you're broke,
you can't do all that.

1754
01:09:42.073 --> 01:09:43.531
You gotta be watching
this motherfucker,

1755
01:09:43.615 --> 01:09:47.448
because, you know, you gotta
pull it at the right time.

1756
01:09:47.531 --> 01:09:49.989
Yup. That's it. We good.

1757
01:09:50.073 --> 01:09:51.323
Gonna get to the crib.

1758
01:09:51.406 --> 01:09:53.323
[solemn piano music]

1759
01:09:53.406 --> 01:09:56.615
- As I was buying all this
fake engagement for Chris,

1760
01:09:56.698 --> 01:10:00.865
he was doing everything
he could to delete it.

1761
01:10:00.948 --> 01:10:02.448
- Like, I don't need to be

1762
01:10:02.531 --> 01:10:04.031
looking at all these
fake comments.

1763
01:10:04.114 --> 01:10:05.406
Like, I deleted
all the comments

1764
01:10:05.490 --> 01:10:06.782
'cause they're super corny.

1765
01:10:06.865 --> 01:10:09.031
Hold on.
I'm gonna read you guys some.

1766
01:10:09.114 --> 01:10:10.865
"All people
should be like you."

1767
01:10:10.948 --> 01:10:12.573
"Excellent and elegant."

1768
01:10:12.657 --> 01:10:14.531
"Love you." Praying hands.

1769
01:10:14.615 --> 01:10:17.365
"Oh, wow, look at you."
Heart face emoji.

1770
01:10:17.448 --> 01:10:19.531
"Looking so great, love."

1771
01:10:19.615 --> 01:10:21.490
"You simply the best."

1772
01:10:21.573 --> 01:10:23.198
- [chuckles]
- What else do they have?

1773
01:10:23.281 --> 01:10:25.365
"The top influencer is you."

1774
01:10:25.448 --> 01:10:27.323
That's the best comment I got.

1775
01:10:27.406 --> 01:10:29.865
But still from a bot,
so it's whatever.

1776
01:10:29.948 --> 01:10:32.073
- The social experiment
here is,

1777
01:10:32.156 --> 01:10:33.740
we want to take three people

1778
01:10:33.823 --> 01:10:36.031
and see if we can make them
fake famous.

1779
01:10:36.114 --> 01:10:39.865
And with the--
this is what has happened.

1780
01:10:39.948 --> 01:10:42.365
We have Dominique,
who has been like,

1781
01:10:42.448 --> 01:10:43.823
"I will do anything."

1782
01:10:43.948 --> 01:10:47.073
But you want to be famous
for being you

1783
01:10:47.156 --> 01:10:48.490
and nothing else,

1784
01:10:48.573 --> 01:10:51.615
and you're not willing
to do anything

1785
01:10:51.698 --> 01:10:54.114
that is not part
of that core goal

1786
01:10:54.198 --> 01:10:56.782
and process to get there.

1787
01:10:56.865 --> 01:10:58.782
- Yeah, I want to be famous
for being me.

1788
01:10:58.865 --> 01:11:01.198
I want people to know
who I am for being me,

1789
01:11:01.281 --> 01:11:02.573
to--for knowing the story,

1790
01:11:02.657 --> 01:11:04.365
for knowing the background
and all that.

1791
01:11:04.448 --> 01:11:06.031
When Dom came in,

1792
01:11:06.114 --> 01:11:08.281
she's like a piece of Play-Doh,
right?

1793
01:11:08.365 --> 01:11:12.031
She's soft, and she just--she--
you guys can mold her.

1794
01:11:12.114 --> 01:11:14.239
Y'all done gave her
the highlights and the hair,

1795
01:11:14.323 --> 01:11:15.573
gave her a haircut.

1796
01:11:15.657 --> 01:11:16.782
She is a bra--she--

1797
01:11:16.865 --> 01:11:18.907
like, brand-new bitch,
you feel me?

1798
01:11:18.989 --> 01:11:23.740
Like, she was
a brand-new person.

1799
01:11:23.823 --> 01:11:28.114
I came in, and I was like
a sculpture of stone.

1800
01:11:28.198 --> 01:11:29.615
And it's like, "Well, fuck,

1801
01:11:29.698 --> 01:11:31.281
what do we add
to this sculpture?"

1802
01:11:31.365 --> 01:11:33.448
Like, I don't need a makeover.

1803
01:11:33.531 --> 01:11:35.114
I don't need a stylist.

1804
01:11:35.198 --> 01:11:36.907
So I said,
"What are these people

1805
01:11:36.989 --> 01:11:39.114
really gonna do for me?"

1806
01:11:39.198 --> 01:11:42.782
I'd rather be broke and be real

1807
01:11:42.865 --> 01:11:44.989
than be rich and be fake.

1808
01:11:45.073 --> 01:11:46.448
And that's the facts.

1809
01:11:46.531 --> 01:11:50.615
Like, I'm not gonna do
just anything.

1810
01:11:50.698 --> 01:11:51.782
- But for us, that's hard

1811
01:11:51.865 --> 01:11:52.907
in a social experiment.
- It is.

1812
01:11:52.989 --> 01:11:54.448
- Because it's like,
"Well, what do we do?"

1813
01:11:54.531 --> 01:11:57.740
- But if you asked me
if I would rather take

1814
01:11:57.823 --> 01:12:00.948
100,000 fake followers
or 100 real ones,

1815
01:12:01.031 --> 01:12:02.782
I'm taking the real ones
all day.

1816
01:12:02.865 --> 01:12:04.281
- That's not the way
I expected it to go,

1817
01:12:04.365 --> 01:12:06.698
but I respect that completely.

1818
01:12:06.782 --> 01:12:08.448
- I need people to feel this.

1819
01:12:08.531 --> 01:12:09.490
Straight up.

1820
01:12:09.573 --> 01:12:12.365
I need people to feel this.
I can't fake it.

1821
01:12:12.448 --> 01:12:15.365
[sentimental piano music]

1822
01:12:15.448 --> 01:12:22.406
♪ ♪

1823
01:12:24.865 --> 01:12:27.657
- I need to get ready for...
[sighs]

1824
01:12:27.740 --> 01:12:28.823
Jesus Christ.

1825
01:12:28.907 --> 01:12:30.114
This person's birthday party.

1826
01:12:30.198 --> 01:12:32.531
It's, like,
space, '60s themed.

1827
01:12:32.615 --> 01:12:35.448
So I'm going as...

1828
01:12:35.531 --> 01:12:36.490
Ziggy Stardust.

1829
01:12:36.573 --> 01:12:39.615
[laughter]

1830
01:12:39.698 --> 01:12:42.365
- As for Wylie,
grappling with his anxieties

1831
01:12:42.448 --> 01:12:44.823
around social media
took some time.

1832
01:12:44.907 --> 01:12:47.657
When I finally turned off
all the fake engagement,

1833
01:12:47.740 --> 01:12:49.323
it turned out to be
the best thing

1834
01:12:49.406 --> 01:12:51.865
that could've happen to him.

1835
01:12:51.948 --> 01:12:53.907
- I don't know; this outfit's
kind of offensive.

1836
01:12:53.989 --> 01:12:55.156
[laughs]

1837
01:12:55.239 --> 01:12:56.531
Before, when I would post,

1838
01:12:56.615 --> 01:12:58.198
I was so uncomfortable
with myself

1839
01:12:58.281 --> 01:13:01.365
and thinking about what other
people are gonna think of me.

1840
01:13:01.448 --> 01:13:02.323
Oh, whatever.

1841
01:13:02.406 --> 01:13:03.823
It's so embarrassing to think

1842
01:13:03.907 --> 01:13:06.323
that I placed my validation
in that.

1843
01:13:06.406 --> 01:13:08.406
I just learned
that it doesn't matter.

1844
01:13:08.490 --> 01:13:10.073
This is the wig I got.

1845
01:13:10.156 --> 01:13:11.698
♪ ♪

1846
01:13:11.782 --> 01:13:12.865
Rock star.

1847
01:13:12.948 --> 01:13:13.989
I got a new job.

1848
01:13:14.073 --> 01:13:15.490
I work in a place
where I'm appreciated,

1849
01:13:15.573 --> 01:13:17.198
and it's awesome.

1850
01:13:17.281 --> 01:13:18.865
Now that I don't have
that stress,

1851
01:13:18.948 --> 01:13:21.740
I feel so much more, like,
in my body.

1852
01:13:21.823 --> 01:13:24.198
[camera shutter snaps]

1853
01:13:24.281 --> 01:13:26.365
I think that people
take Instagram too seriously,

1854
01:13:26.448 --> 01:13:27.782
and I wish I could
make my Instagram bio,

1855
01:13:27.865 --> 01:13:30.657
"Please don't
take this seriously."

1856
01:13:30.740 --> 01:13:33.573
But now I don't,
and I like it.

1857
01:13:33.657 --> 01:13:36.698
Now when I post, like,
it's fun again.

1858
01:13:36.782 --> 01:13:43.698
♪ ♪

1859
01:13:43.782 --> 01:13:47.073
- Given that Chris no longer
wanted the fake engagement

1860
01:13:47.156 --> 01:13:48.573
and Wylie really didn't want

1861
01:13:48.657 --> 01:13:50.573
to be part
of the experiment anymore,

1862
01:13:50.657 --> 01:13:52.573
that left us
with one person...

1863
01:13:52.657 --> 01:13:54.448
- Hi! I'm Dominique.

1864
01:13:54.531 --> 01:13:55.448
- You ready?
- Yeah.

1865
01:13:55.531 --> 01:13:57.073
- Come on down!
Let's do the damn thing.

1866
01:13:57.156 --> 01:13:59.698
- Who just so happens
to be thriving

1867
01:13:59.782 --> 01:14:01.948
in her new life
as an influencer.

1868
01:14:02.031 --> 01:14:03.907
- So it just began, okay?
- Just began?

1869
01:14:03.989 --> 01:14:05.239
[laughter]

1870
01:14:05.323 --> 01:14:07.531
- She's getting
free beauty regimens now.

1871
01:14:07.615 --> 01:14:10.239
- I'm just so chill.

1872
01:14:10.323 --> 01:14:12.239
[laughs]
- Pun definitely intended.

1873
01:14:12.323 --> 01:14:13.615
[camera shutter snaps]

1874
01:14:13.698 --> 01:14:16.823
- She's become
a brand ambassador for a gym.

1875
01:14:16.907 --> 01:14:18.114
She's booking commercials

1876
01:14:18.198 --> 01:14:20.239
and has had more callbacks
and auditions

1877
01:14:20.323 --> 01:14:21.740
than ever before.

1878
01:14:21.823 --> 01:14:24.323
- So I got to the audition--
or it was the callback,

1879
01:14:24.406 --> 01:14:26.615
and the woman comes out,
and she goes...

1880
01:14:26.698 --> 01:14:27.782
[with French accent]
"Are you Dominique?"

1881
01:14:27.865 --> 01:14:28.782
[normally]
'Cause they're French.

1882
01:14:28.865 --> 01:14:30.114
And I'm like, "Yeah."
She goes...

1883
01:14:30.198 --> 01:14:31.323
[with French accent] "We are
so excited to meet you."

1884
01:14:31.406 --> 01:14:32.531
[normally]
I was like, "Okay."

1885
01:14:32.615 --> 01:14:34.823
Like, I've never been greeted
at an audition that way.

1886
01:14:34.907 --> 01:14:36.615
It's usually just like,
"Write your name down."

1887
01:14:36.698 --> 01:14:38.323
And then she goes...

1888
01:14:38.406 --> 01:14:39.573
[with French accent]
"By the way, the photographer

1889
01:14:39.657 --> 01:14:40.823
loves your Instagram."

1890
01:14:40.907 --> 01:14:42.948
[normally]
I was like, "Oh. Okay."

1891
01:14:43.031 --> 01:14:44.448
[laughs]

1892
01:14:44.531 --> 01:14:45.907
I just went in,
and I took some photos,

1893
01:14:45.989 --> 01:14:47.948
and it was fun, and I left,

1894
01:14:48.031 --> 01:14:49.448
and then a few hours later,
I got it,

1895
01:14:49.531 --> 01:14:52.615
which was honestly
the fastest turnaround also.

1896
01:14:52.698 --> 01:14:54.114
- Do you want more bots?

1897
01:14:54.198 --> 01:14:55.657
- Sure.
[laughs]

1898
01:14:55.740 --> 01:14:58.823
I'll take more bots
if you're offering.

1899
01:14:58.907 --> 01:15:01.323
- We're almost five months
into this experiment,

1900
01:15:01.406 --> 01:15:04.323
and it's time to take Dom
to the next level.

1901
01:15:04.406 --> 01:15:06.323
I just purchased
more bots for her,

1902
01:15:06.406 --> 01:15:10.156
and she'll soon have
250,000 followers.

1903
01:15:10.239 --> 01:15:12.531
[inquisitive music]

1904
01:15:12.615 --> 01:15:14.365
With all this fame,

1905
01:15:14.448 --> 01:15:15.865
we're gonna see
if we can get Dominique

1906
01:15:15.948 --> 01:15:17.698
some free vacations,
and we're gonna try

1907
01:15:17.782 --> 01:15:20.490
to get her paid real money
to sell products

1908
01:15:20.573 --> 01:15:23.156
to her hundreds of thousands
of followers,

1909
01:15:23.239 --> 01:15:26.323
even if they're not
exactly real.

1910
01:15:26.406 --> 01:15:28.823
Now, there's
a little caveat here.

1911
01:15:28.907 --> 01:15:30.698
When you start going
for the big brands

1912
01:15:30.782 --> 01:15:32.782
with billions of dollars
in revenue,

1913
01:15:32.865 --> 01:15:35.615
they have access
to fancy software that can tell

1914
01:15:35.698 --> 01:15:38.531
if you have fake followers
or inauthentic reach,

1915
01:15:38.615 --> 01:15:41.698
which for us
can be pretty terrifying.

1916
01:15:41.782 --> 01:15:43.531
So rather than risk
getting caught,

1917
01:15:43.615 --> 01:15:44.698
I ran Dom's account

1918
01:15:44.782 --> 01:15:47.198
through one of these
paid programs.

1919
01:15:47.281 --> 01:15:49.031
Not only did
the software report

1920
01:15:49.114 --> 01:15:53.239
that she had almost 100,000
real and engaged followers,

1921
01:15:53.323 --> 01:15:55.198
but it also said
that she ranked

1922
01:15:55.281 --> 01:15:57.406
in the top 0.01%

1923
01:15:57.490 --> 01:16:00.156
of the most famous people
on the planet.

1924
01:16:01.323 --> 01:16:02.865
How did we pull that off?

1925
01:16:02.948 --> 01:16:05.531
Either I'm really fucking good
at buying bots,

1926
01:16:05.615 --> 01:16:08.406
or the software is a scam too.

1927
01:16:08.490 --> 01:16:09.989
- Maybe, like,
look over that way.

1928
01:16:10.073 --> 01:16:10.989
Yeah.

1929
01:16:11.073 --> 01:16:13.865
[line trills]

1930
01:16:13.948 --> 01:16:15.198
- Thank you for calling
Hotel Bel-Air.

1931
01:16:15.281 --> 01:16:16.198
This is Jeremy speaking.

1932
01:16:16.281 --> 01:16:17.948
- Hi, my name's
Dominique Druckman.

1933
01:16:18.031 --> 01:16:19.823
I'm obsessed with your hotel.

1934
01:16:19.907 --> 01:16:21.448
Hi, I'm Dominique Druckman.

1935
01:16:21.531 --> 01:16:22.573
I'm a huge fan of your brand,

1936
01:16:22.657 --> 01:16:24.239
and I have 160,000 followers

1937
01:16:24.323 --> 01:16:26.531
and would love to find a way
to work together.

1938
01:16:26.615 --> 01:16:27.948
I love your bikinis.

1939
01:16:28.031 --> 01:16:29.865
We could do
a product giveaway together.

1940
01:16:29.948 --> 01:16:34.031
I just passed
175,000 followers.

1941
01:16:34.114 --> 01:16:35.907
- Honestly,
things are happening

1942
01:16:35.989 --> 01:16:38.073
for Dominique that we could not
have dreamed of

1943
01:16:38.156 --> 01:16:39.114
in the beginning of this.

1944
01:16:39.198 --> 01:16:40.406
She's got paid partnerships

1945
01:16:40.490 --> 01:16:41.907
with a makeup
and jewelry company,

1946
01:16:41.989 --> 01:16:44.239
and we just got
this opportunity,

1947
01:16:44.323 --> 01:16:46.406
the hallmark
of influencer fame:

1948
01:16:46.490 --> 01:16:49.406
a free
all-expense-paid vacation,

1949
01:16:49.490 --> 01:16:51.615
which includes
a free hotel suite

1950
01:16:51.698 --> 01:16:54.031
for Dom and a friend,
a $1,000 shopping spree,

1951
01:16:54.114 --> 01:16:55.740
bottle service at a club,

1952
01:16:55.823 --> 01:16:58.031
dinner
at a five-star restaurant,

1953
01:16:58.114 --> 01:16:59.698
and spa treatment.

1954
01:16:59.782 --> 01:17:01.657
What does Dom have to do
for all this?

1955
01:17:01.740 --> 01:17:04.114
Just post the whole experience
on Instagram,

1956
01:17:04.198 --> 01:17:06.615
tag the hotels and spa,
and make sure

1957
01:17:06.698 --> 01:17:09.156
that her hundreds of thousands
of followers see it.

1958
01:17:09.239 --> 01:17:11.948
♪ ♪

1959
01:17:12.031 --> 01:17:13.782
- The warning from the CDC,

1960
01:17:13.865 --> 01:17:16.948
the coronavirus is spreading
so quickly around the globe.

1961
01:17:17.031 --> 01:17:20.156
- [speaking Japanese]

1962
01:17:20.239 --> 01:17:21.573
- The sheer numbers
of people succumbing

1963
01:17:21.657 --> 01:17:24.615
is overwhelming every hospital
in northern Italy.

1964
01:17:24.698 --> 01:17:27.114
- And U.S. airlines are now
suspending some flights.

1965
01:17:27.198 --> 01:17:30.948
- The entire state
ordered to shelter in place.

1966
01:17:31.031 --> 01:17:33.948
[tense music]

1967
01:17:34.031 --> 01:17:41.031
♪ ♪

1968
01:17:42.740 --> 01:17:44.156
- As we were about to leave

1969
01:17:44.239 --> 01:17:46.365
for our free
influencer vacation,

1970
01:17:46.448 --> 01:17:49.073
the world came
to a standstill.

1971
01:17:51.031 --> 01:17:54.031
Stay-at-home orders
were issued around the globe,

1972
01:17:54.114 --> 01:17:57.156
and in America,
city after city shut down

1973
01:17:57.239 --> 01:17:59.073
within hours of each other.

1974
01:18:00.573 --> 01:18:02.156
We canceled our trip,

1975
01:18:02.239 --> 01:18:03.989
and along with the rest
of America,

1976
01:18:04.073 --> 01:18:06.323
we instantly went
into quarantine

1977
01:18:06.406 --> 01:18:08.490
as a global pandemic
started to kill

1978
01:18:08.573 --> 01:18:11.865
hundreds of thousands
of people.

1979
01:18:11.948 --> 01:18:14.989
And yet
what was so strange was,

1980
01:18:15.073 --> 01:18:17.156
when you scrolled
through Instagram,

1981
01:18:17.239 --> 01:18:20.031
all those influencers
we were trying to emulate,

1982
01:18:20.114 --> 01:18:22.156
they were still posting photos
of themselves

1983
01:18:22.239 --> 01:18:25.198
as if everything
was perfectly normal.

1984
01:18:25.281 --> 01:18:27.740
They were posting pictures
of themselves on the beach,

1985
01:18:27.823 --> 01:18:29.907
even though the beaches
were closed.

1986
01:18:29.989 --> 01:18:31.323
♪ ♪

1987
01:18:31.406 --> 01:18:33.531
Flights were canceled,
hotels shuttered,

1988
01:18:33.615 --> 01:18:34.865
and yet you wouldn't know it

1989
01:18:34.948 --> 01:18:36.865
from looking
at their accounts.

1990
01:18:36.948 --> 01:18:42.281
♪ ♪

1991
01:18:43.823 --> 01:18:46.740
- No. No.

1992
01:18:48.490 --> 01:18:50.239
Jewelry!

1993
01:18:50.323 --> 01:18:52.239
That's fun.

1994
01:18:52.323 --> 01:18:53.865
[water running]

1995
01:18:53.948 --> 01:18:55.114
- As for Dom,

1996
01:18:55.198 --> 01:18:57.198
as the global economy
started to collapse

1997
01:18:57.281 --> 01:18:59.531
and millions of people
lost their jobs,

1998
01:18:59.615 --> 01:19:02.156
businesses were so desperate
to make a sale

1999
01:19:02.239 --> 01:19:05.698
that they were still
sending her free stuff.

2000
01:19:08.657 --> 01:19:11.490
- I got some jewelry
from one of the brands.

2001
01:19:11.573 --> 01:19:14.198
I feel weird about
doing an unboxing right now,

2002
01:19:14.281 --> 01:19:17.782
so I'm not going to.

2003
01:19:17.865 --> 01:19:20.073
I don't need to brag
that I got free stuff

2004
01:19:20.156 --> 01:19:21.907
for no reason right now.

2005
01:19:21.989 --> 01:19:24.907
[solemn piano music]

2006
01:19:24.989 --> 01:19:31.989
♪ ♪

2007
01:19:35.615 --> 01:19:36.531
- Can you hear me?

2008
01:19:36.615 --> 01:19:37.573
- Yeah.

2009
01:19:37.657 --> 01:19:38.782
- Kay, well,
I guess this is how

2010
01:19:38.865 --> 01:19:40.573
we're doing
our final interview.

2011
01:19:40.657 --> 01:19:43.239
How's it going?

2012
01:19:43.323 --> 01:19:45.031
- It's going fine.

2013
01:19:45.114 --> 01:19:46.740
I've had so many realizations

2014
01:19:46.823 --> 01:19:49.073
into how, like,
fake all of this is.

2015
01:19:49.156 --> 01:19:51.782
♪ ♪

2016
01:19:51.865 --> 01:19:53.823
Seeing influencers post
bikini pictures

2017
01:19:53.907 --> 01:19:58.156
while there's opera singers
singing on balconies in Italy.

2018
01:19:58.239 --> 01:20:00.823
Can't you notice or acknowledge

2019
01:20:00.907 --> 01:20:04.907
or call action to something

2020
01:20:04.989 --> 01:20:07.657
that's not yourself

2021
01:20:07.740 --> 01:20:11.281
and your body
on the beach?

2022
01:20:11.365 --> 01:20:13.114
It just feels inauthentic

2023
01:20:13.198 --> 01:20:17.490
and shows me something
I don't want to do.

2024
01:20:17.573 --> 01:20:19.615
I think, like, through a lot
of the process,

2025
01:20:19.698 --> 01:20:22.323
I was very, like,
"I don't care about fame,"

2026
01:20:22.406 --> 01:20:26.114
but during quarantine,
I have seen what fame,

2027
01:20:26.198 --> 01:20:28.657
if used properly, can do.

2028
01:20:28.740 --> 01:20:32.740
Seeing people like John Legend
using his talent and his fame

2029
01:20:32.823 --> 01:20:34.989
to bring people
joy and happiness

2030
01:20:35.073 --> 01:20:37.657
and a sense of relief
during a time like this...

2031
01:20:37.740 --> 01:20:39.323
[cheers and applause]

2032
01:20:39.406 --> 01:20:42.073
Seeing everybody clap
for the frontline workers

2033
01:20:42.156 --> 01:20:44.531
and first responders
in all different cities

2034
01:20:44.615 --> 01:20:46.657
and all different countries
through social media...

2035
01:20:46.740 --> 01:20:48.114
[metallic banging]

2036
01:20:48.198 --> 01:20:50.156
[car horns honking]

2037
01:20:50.239 --> 01:20:52.281
And people who are able

2038
01:20:52.365 --> 01:20:54.657
to reach a lot
of their followers

2039
01:20:54.740 --> 01:20:56.865
and donate tens of thousands
of dollars

2040
01:20:56.948 --> 01:21:01.657
to food banks and hospitals
has been incredible.

2041
01:21:01.740 --> 01:21:04.448
And the "SNL" video
when Brad Pitt was on

2042
01:21:04.531 --> 01:21:06.365
and he took off his wig
and he was just like,

2043
01:21:06.448 --> 01:21:08.615
"I want to thank
the frontline workers."

2044
01:21:08.698 --> 01:21:11.073
- Thank you for your calm
and your clarity

2045
01:21:11.156 --> 01:21:12.573
in this unnerving time.

2046
01:21:12.657 --> 01:21:14.907
♪ ♪

2047
01:21:14.989 --> 01:21:16.698
- In the midst of all of this,

2048
01:21:16.782 --> 01:21:19.865
Dom even started
getting real followers,

2049
01:21:19.948 --> 01:21:21.531
thousands of them,

2050
01:21:21.615 --> 01:21:23.239
because people
holed up at home

2051
01:21:23.323 --> 01:21:25.698
were spending more time
on social media

2052
01:21:25.782 --> 01:21:29.198
and assumed she was
actually famous.

2053
01:21:29.281 --> 01:21:32.365
She also kept getting
countless free stuff,

2054
01:21:32.448 --> 01:21:35.198
including a bidet,
which she posted online

2055
01:21:35.281 --> 01:21:37.698
and which, curiously,
went legitimately viral

2056
01:21:37.782 --> 01:21:38.989
without me having to buy

2057
01:21:39.073 --> 01:21:41.031
the fake likes
and fake comments.

2058
01:21:41.114 --> 01:21:43.406
- Okay. Stop. That's enough.

2059
01:21:43.490 --> 01:21:45.907
I have had so many people
say, like,

2060
01:21:45.989 --> 01:21:48.657
"This made my week.
I was laughing so hard."

2061
01:21:48.740 --> 01:21:51.114
So if I can do that
for more people,

2062
01:21:51.198 --> 01:21:52.907
I think that'd be incredible,

2063
01:21:52.989 --> 01:21:55.865
and I think
that goes along with fame.

2064
01:21:55.948 --> 01:21:58.239
And then
there's the influencers.

2065
01:21:58.323 --> 01:22:01.281
- We headed to Miami Art Basel.

2066
01:22:01.365 --> 01:22:03.114
What up, boo?
- What up, boo?

2067
01:22:03.198 --> 01:22:05.031
- We've been
copying these influencers

2068
01:22:05.114 --> 01:22:07.698
by faking it just like them,

2069
01:22:07.782 --> 01:22:09.615
and throughout
this whole process,

2070
01:22:09.698 --> 01:22:11.782
as we peeled back
layer after layer

2071
01:22:11.865 --> 01:22:14.239
of what really happens
behind the scenes,

2072
01:22:14.323 --> 01:22:16.740
I kept wondering
if any of it was real,

2073
01:22:16.823 --> 01:22:18.740
if anything
these influencers did

2074
01:22:18.823 --> 01:22:20.406
was actually authentic.

2075
01:22:20.490 --> 01:22:23.406
- Heading
to a workout class here.

2076
01:22:23.490 --> 01:22:25.448
- As we dug deeper
into this world,

2077
01:22:25.531 --> 01:22:29.281
I assumed we would
never figure that out.

2078
01:22:29.365 --> 01:22:30.573
And we might not have,

2079
01:22:30.657 --> 01:22:32.865
had it not been
for a global pandemic

2080
01:22:32.948 --> 01:22:34.948
and the events
that followed...

2081
01:22:35.031 --> 01:22:36.073
♪ ♪

2082
01:22:36.156 --> 01:22:37.823
- Say his name!
- George Floyd!

2083
01:22:37.907 --> 01:22:40.448
- Say his name!
- George Floyd!

2084
01:22:40.531 --> 01:22:42.948
- Months later, when
Black Lives Matter protests

2085
01:22:43.031 --> 01:22:44.782
erupted across the country,

2086
01:22:44.865 --> 01:22:47.448
while these tragic stories
of racism and abuse

2087
01:22:47.531 --> 01:22:48.782
might not have been seen

2088
01:22:48.865 --> 01:22:50.281
had it not been
for social media...

2089
01:22:50.365 --> 01:22:52.406
- ♪ My people
don't want no trouble ♪

2090
01:22:52.490 --> 01:22:55.823
♪ We've had enough struggle ♪

2091
01:22:55.907 --> 01:22:57.490
- There was uproar online

2092
01:22:57.573 --> 01:22:59.740
when people accused
some influencers

2093
01:22:59.823 --> 01:23:02.989
of using the opportunity
as another photo op.

2094
01:23:03.073 --> 01:23:05.281
♪ ♪

2095
01:23:05.365 --> 01:23:07.615
It's not just
about the fake followers

2096
01:23:07.698 --> 01:23:09.615
and the fake photos
and the fake fame

2097
01:23:09.698 --> 01:23:11.615
that's so troubling here.

2098
01:23:11.698 --> 01:23:13.281
At the end of the day,

2099
01:23:13.365 --> 01:23:16.907
they don't make you
feel better about yourself.

2100
01:23:16.989 --> 01:23:19.114
The entire concept
of influencing

2101
01:23:19.198 --> 01:23:21.365
is to make you feel worse.

2102
01:23:21.448 --> 01:23:24.989
It's to say, "Look at this
lavish life I live.

2103
01:23:25.073 --> 01:23:27.490
"Look at these
amazing vacations I go on

2104
01:23:27.573 --> 01:23:30.073
and these wonderful products
I use,"

2105
01:23:30.156 --> 01:23:33.531
even if, in reality,
it's not that wonderful.

2106
01:23:33.615 --> 01:23:35.156
- So you know that's sewage?

2107
01:23:35.239 --> 01:23:36.657
- [laughs]

2108
01:23:36.740 --> 01:23:38.823
- This is not fame.

2109
01:23:38.907 --> 01:23:42.365
It's all been
labeled incorrectly.

2110
01:23:42.448 --> 01:23:44.989
- You're not really famous.

2111
01:23:45.073 --> 01:23:46.698
You're certainly
not being admired

2112
01:23:46.782 --> 01:23:48.657
for a particular skill
or talent.

2113
01:23:48.740 --> 01:23:51.782
- I discovered their body wash

2114
01:23:51.865 --> 01:23:53.948
that I also love.

2115
01:23:54.031 --> 01:23:55.823
- You are hawking a product.

2116
01:23:55.907 --> 01:23:59.907
You are sort of
an infomercial host.

2117
01:23:59.989 --> 01:24:01.031
- Hey, guys.

2118
01:24:01.114 --> 01:24:03.907
So Hismile is offering
free express shipping

2119
01:24:03.989 --> 01:24:05.989
just in time for Christmas.

2120
01:24:06.073 --> 01:24:09.573
- It's so artificial
and surface-level.

2121
01:24:09.657 --> 01:24:11.865
- So check it out.

2122
01:24:11.948 --> 01:24:15.406
- Seeing what
all of these girls do,

2123
01:24:15.490 --> 01:24:16.782
like, behind the scenes

2124
01:24:16.865 --> 01:24:19.365
and then what they put
on their feed

2125
01:24:19.448 --> 01:24:21.198
and how the world
perceives them

2126
01:24:21.281 --> 01:24:22.989
is just so sad,

2127
01:24:23.073 --> 01:24:24.531
but I think
I'm in that boat, too,

2128
01:24:24.615 --> 01:24:27.239
'cause people think
I'm an influencer

2129
01:24:27.323 --> 01:24:29.198
and definitely
treat me differently

2130
01:24:29.281 --> 01:24:31.740
once they see
how many followers I have.

2131
01:24:31.823 --> 01:24:34.239
People think
so differently of you.

2132
01:24:34.323 --> 01:24:36.823
- Yeah.
They think you're famous.

2133
01:24:36.907 --> 01:24:38.323
And then they think,

2134
01:24:38.406 --> 01:24:40.615
"That's what I want to be
when I grow up."

2135
01:24:40.698 --> 01:24:47.615
♪ ♪

2136
01:24:47.698 --> 01:24:48.740
[camera shutters naps]

2137
01:24:48.823 --> 01:24:51.782
[tense music]

2138
01:24:51.865 --> 01:24:58.823
♪ ♪

2139
01:25:02.156 --> 01:25:05.740
[vibrant operatic music]

2140
01:25:05.823 --> 01:25:08.782
- [singing Italian aria]

2141
01:25:08.865 --> 01:25:15.823
♪ ♪

2142
01:25:46.740 --> 01:25:49.657
[vocalizing]

2143
01:25:49.740 --> 01:25:56.740
♪ ♪

2144
01:26:16.657 --> 01:26:19.531
[chorus singing in Italian]

2145
01:26:19.615 --> 01:26:26.615
♪ ♪

2146
01:26:29.740 --> 01:26:32.698
[singing Italian aria]

2147
01:26:32.782 --> 01:26:39.740
♪ ♪

2148
01:26:40.615 --> 01:26:43.114
[bright tone]