Yes, they are absolutely banking on their audience’s lack of critical thinking skills. I get it—most people see a post on social media, take it at face value, and move on. But I think that’s what makes influencer marketing so insidious: it’s manipulative and based on a false narrative meant to sell products, without being as forthright as an ad or commercial. Birdie’s supporters don’t see her as a salesperson; they see her as a friend, as a brave woman fighting for women’s empowerment. Meanwhile, she’s just trying to get you to buy a bathing suit.