Authenticity for sale
PUBLISHED October 26, 2025 KARACHI: Authenticity is the Internet’s most sought-after illusion. When social media first promised a democratic space where anyone could speak, the appeal lay in their spontaneous and unorchestrated communication—the sense that it was “real.” But as the platforms professionalized, so did their users, and the line between self-expression and self-promotion blurred. Today, even the most “raw”, raw story is shaped by algorithmic logic. The grainy selfie, the weird confession, it’s all become part of an established visual language that, for better or worse, inspires trust in users and followers. Brands welcomed this shift. Consumers no longer
