DIGITAL PLATFORMS AS SITES OF INFLUENCERS’ ONLINE MARKETING POWER AND PUBLIC RESISTANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

DIGITAL PLATFORMS AS SITES OF INFLUENCERS’ ONLINE MARKETING POWER AND PUBLIC RESISTANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

This paper analyses public reactions to South African influencers who promoted the Alabuga Russia job program, a scheme perceived online as a labour exploitation targeting young women. The research applies Critical Discourse Analysis framework to dissect TikTok comments on a Lebo Lion Marketing & Reviews post of August 25, 2025. This is done by employing Fairclough’s three dimensional model that allows the researcher to focus on the text, discursive practice and social practice which are in this paper used to thematically present the findings. Results show the public holds influencers accountable for not vetting programme risks and links youth vulnerability to South Africa's high unemployment. The discourse reveals both resistance to influencer power and the reproduction of victim-blaming narratives. This study advances research concerning digital labour migration, influencer ethics, and online counter-narratives within the Global South.