Apparently, the influencer may have finally met its greatest opponent, and surprisingly, it isn’t the algorithm. It’s etiquette. Following weeks of discourse surrounding creators, ring lights, flash photography and questionable spectator behavior at the U.S. Open, Wimbledon has made it clear that it will not introduce a dedicated accreditation category for influencers and content creators at the 2027 Championships. The All England Club also plans to enforce existing rules allowing potentially disruptive equipment, including ring lights, to be confiscated. It’s an understandable reaction to what unfolded in New York, but it also raises a bigger question: Is the problem really influencers, or have we simply started using that word to describe anyone behaving badly with a phone in their hand?
The conversation feels particularly familiar after a handmade “No Influencers” sign inside Nantucket’s Four Winds Craft Guild went viral earlier this summer. Influencer and entrepreneur Paige Paul, formerly Paige Lorenze, criticized the message and questioned the implications of dismissing a profession heavily populated by women. But store owner John Sylvia’s explanation revealed that his frustration was less about someone’s occupation and more about behavior. People were entering the shop to film and photograph it, sometimes treating the business more like a backdrop than a place of commerce. The sign may have said “No Influencers,” but the complaint was essentially: Please respect the space you’re entering.
That’s not terribly different from what happened at the U.S. Open. Around 100 creators received credentials this year as the tournament continued using social media to reach new audiences. At the same time, disruptive filming, bright lights and noise during matches became part of the conversation…
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Read Full Article by Victor Qunnuell Vaughns Jr at www.ebony.com
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