Social media has transformed how we connect, share, and consume information. In its early days, platforms thrived on genuine interactions and real experiences.
However, the rise of fake news, misleading influencer marketing, AI-generated content, and excessive advertising has significantly changed the landscape.
Today, users are bombarded with inauthentic content. It makes it difficult to distinguish between what’s real and what’s fabricated. From viral misinformation to overly curated Instagram lifestyles, social media is increasingly driven by content that distorts reality.
While platforms are taking steps to combat these issues, many users still feel overwhelmed by fake news, misleading promotions, and AI-driven posts in content marketing strategy.
This blog explores the growing problem of inauthentic content, its impact on social media engagement, and the importance of authentic content for social media.
Let’s dive in!
The Problem with Social Media Today (Challenges of Inauthentic Content)
Social media today is flooded with inauthentic content. According to an article in the Guardian, 85% of people are worried about online disinformation, which impacts people’s decision-making abilities.
In its early days, platforms were more organic, with real people sharing genuine experiences. However, over time, social media has become a battleground for fake news, misinformation, excessive ads, and AI-generated content that lacks authenticity.
A study by Temple University researcher Stephen Orbanek highlights a surprising fact—verified users are often the biggest culprits in spreading fake news. This trend accelerated during COVID-19, when people spent more time online, consuming and sharing unverified content.
1. Fake News & Misinformation – How misleading viral content spreads
The American Psychological Association states that fake news spreads faster than reports from credible sources like newspapers, radio, and television. Traditional media outlets have fact-checking processes, but social media lacks such safeguards, making it easy for misinformation to go viral.
A study by the University of Southern California found that:
- Influencers are more likely to share fake news than verified news sources.
- Frequent social media users are three times more likely to share misinformation.
This widespread misinformation highlights the importance of authentic content for social media more than ever.
2. Fake Internet Gurus – The Rise of Self-proclaimed Experts
You will find lots of so-called ”gurus” on social media claiming to be experts in finance, success, health, personal development, and whatnot. These self-proclaimed experts often sell unrealistic promises through misleading advertisements, deceiving users into buying courses, programs, or services that lack real value.
As you scroll through your feed, you’re likely to come across countless posts from these “experts” promoting get-rich-quick schemes, exaggerated success stories, or miracle health solutions. Their tactics create frustration among users, leading to a growing demand for authentic content and real expertise.
3. Undisclosed Promotions from influencer
An article by Search Engine Land states that when influencers fail to properly label paid content, both the brand trust and the influencer risk violating the law. The brand authenticity of the content is compromised often resulting in fines from regulatory authorities.
A well-known example is Kim Kardashian, who was fined $1.26 million by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for promoting cryptocurrency on Instagram without proper disclosure, according to CNN.
4. AI-Generated Content and Auto-Generated Posts
Recently, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and Threads have been flooded with auto-generated, low-quality content. Numerous AI-powered tools can now create and post captions automatically, leading to an overwhelming presence of AI-generated content in users’ feeds, which many find frustrating.
To be honest, across the social media platforms I use—Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and Threads—there hasn’t been enough effort to curb the spread of AI-generated posts. These posts often contain misleading information, negatively impacting user experience. With the rise of AI-generated content, it has become increasingly difficult to find real, authentic posts on social media for professional seo agency.
I have over 700 friends on Facebook, yet when I scroll through my feed, I struggle to find genuine posts from them. After discussing with many social media forum users, it’s clear that there’s a growing demand for authentic, human-created content. The spike of AI-generated posts is not just frustrating—it’s driving users away from meaningful social interactions.
5. Excessive & Irrelevant Ads
On October 24, 2019, during a Senate hearing, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, was asked a simple question by a senator: “How do you make money?” With a smirk, he replied, “We run ads!”
Yes, that’s true—and unfortunately, these excessive and often irrelevant ads are the driving force behind Meta’s $164.5 billion ad revenue in 2024, generated across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
To put this into perspective, $164.5 billion is more than the total GDP of Kuwait, a country rich in oil. This staggering revenue is fueled by an overwhelming number of advertisements that significantly degrade the user experience.
When I scroll through my Facebook or Instagram feed, out of every 10 posts, 3 to 4 are paid promotions, and most of them are completely irrelevant to me.
This flood of paid content raises concerns about the relevance, authenticity, and quality of what users see, ultimately hampering the social media experience.
6. Overly Curated Instagram Posts Mislead Audiences
Birthday celebrations, lavish weddings, private jets, extravagant vacations, and fine dining at luxury restaurants—these are the lifestyles that the ultra-rich flaunt on Instagram. While this may be a reality for some, for the average working-class individual, such a lifestyle is far from attainable.
Yet, many people on social media continue to showcase overly curated, extravagant lifestyles, often misleading their audience. These posts rarely reflect their actual lives, raising questions about authenticity.
In an attempt to portray an extravagant image, such content creates unrealistic expectations and distorts reality for viewers.
How Platforms are Cracking Down on Fake Content
According to an article published by Statista, 50% of people have encountered fake reviews on Amazon or Facebook Marketplace. Since the rise of ChatGPT, there has been a significant uptick in inauthentic content.
In response, Amazon, in partnership with the Better Business Bureau, has filed a joint lawsuit against ReviewServiceUSA.com. Additionally, Amazon has taken legal action against individuals involved in fake reviews, working in coordination with Google to tackle the issue.
They are also sharing information about bad actors and have implemented machine learning technology with human oversight to detect and remove fake reviews. Other major social media platforms have also introduced stricter measures:
- Meta has deployed an AI moderation and content verification team to track and eliminate inauthentic content across Facebook and Instagram.
- TikTok is actively combating deepfake videos and targeting deceptive influencers who mislead users
Although social media platforms are taking steps to combat bad actors and inauthentic content, many users believe these efforts are still not enough. Users are urging platforms to be more proactive in filtering out inauthentic content from their feeds.
How to Maintain Authenticity in Social Media Content
With nearly a decade of experience in the digital marketing industry and over 25,000 social media posts, we learned the importance of authentic content.
We prioritize fact-checking and verifying sources a lot. We’ve learned that misleading details, exaggerated claims, and false information can damage our client’s reputations.
Additionally, we ensure that:
- Our content is backed by accurate information
- Sponsored partnerships are disclosed
- Adhere to advertising guidelines
- Remain open to collaboration with real influencers
- Focus on creating engaging and lively professional content writing
- AI is used only for research, not creativity
- Work with real micro-influencers
- Avoid copying content
- Don’t promote a fake promise and lifestyle
- Promoting (UGC) User-generated content
- And real genuine storytelling
Upspell’s social media marketing team’s lead says that “people connect better with content that reflects real experiences rather than staged perfection’’. These simple principles help us to create authentic content for social media.
Conclusion
Since Facebook opened to the general public on September 26, 2006, there has been a gradual shift from authentic content to a marketplace of misinformation. In 2025, we have come to a place where there is an outcry of authentic content from users.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Amazon, Facebook, and Google are taking actions against authentic content, but it’s up to the users and the brand to maintain their authenticity.
Fake news, misleading influencers, AI-generated posts, and reviews are threatening the quality of our interactions. However, by embracing transparency, honesty, and originality, we can make social media a space where real connections thrive.
At Upspell to contact our professional team. We are committed to producing authentic, trustworthy content that adds real value to users. The future of social media depends on authenticity—let’s work together to keep it real.
