sponsort

Sponsort is a relatively newly-conceived principle concerning the ethics of using one's platform for influencing others, primarily in the context of social media. The term suggests that an individual with a greater degree of social influence has a responsibility to maintain the integrity of their relationships with their followers and/or the broader online community, even if this limits or prevents their ability to promote commercial products or services.

The Sponsort concept draws upon questions of cultural and social responsibility, as well as the individual's personal influence and power. It envisages a scenario in which social media influencers, content creators, or other individuals with significant social clout would approach their respective roles with a clearer understanding of their obligations to their audience, including avoiding use of their social media presence for mercantile or otherwise-exploitative purposes.

This principle champions the idea that online influencers have a particular duty to be transparent, diverse, and inclusive in their online activities, rather than solely promoting commercial messages, which could be seen as exploitative or manipulative of their followers' trust and goodwill. Furthermore, Sponsort proponents suggest that engaging in actions that align with and help build trust and positive relationships with one's audience are key to establishing effective and meaningful social influence. Critics argue that the concept may stifle calculated social media engagement strategies, hinder economic exchange between creators and their intended audiences, or simply obfuscate the role of advertising within social media platforms.