Delovni pogoji vplivnežev na platformah družbenih medijev v Sloveniji

The dissertation explores the working conditions of social media influencers in Slovenia with the aim of examining what shapes those conditions. The research conducted draws on actor-network theory, relational economic sociology, and social reproduction theory. Methodologically, it is based on 52 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with influencers and 11 marketers as well as ethnographic observations made at marketing events. The findings reveal that influencers in Slovenia are a diverse group, which leads to the distinction between entrepreneurial and supplemental influencers. Although there are fewer of the former, they are typically self-employed, whereas supplemental influencers operate with a range of legal and borderline illegal statuses. Both groups use and develop similar skills, express similar motivations and acquire work equipment in similar ways. They are also comparable with regard to when and where they pursue their work, which I have conceptualised as monetised leisure/care, a notion that addresses the new temporal dimension afforded by social media platforms that transforms previously unpaid time into paid time. None of the influencers rely solely on influencing to cover their basic living expenses, and family members play an important role in shaping their working conditions, making influencing in Slovenia a collective family endeavour. Social media influencing is thus becoming part of ‘Slovenia’s subsistence-oriented, risk-sharing system’, albeit not with respect to subsistence, but to improve the material living standard of households. This likely explains why both groups express their autonomy relative to platforms, which is conceptualised as ‘platform lethargy’, referring to influencers' indifference to platform governance. By tracing the actors that impact the working conditions of influencers in Slovenia, I identified four main ones: marketers, audiences, platforms, and influencers’ family members. Variations in influencers’ working conditions are also introduced by gender, caregiving responsibilities, and socio-economic background. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting the role of actors beyond social media platforms in shaping influencers' working conditions. The mainstream view that platform governance is the primary factor is challenged, while a relational perspective revealing how various context-specific actors interact in forming these conditions is presented.