Influencer Recession and the Attention Economy

Art of Citizenry · Oct 1, 2026 · 41m

The creator economy promised an alternative to the traditional 9-to-5 that offered fame, autonomy, and money (lots of it). But the usual barriers to success never really disappeared, they simply changed. Now, content creators depend on algorithms and advertisers that determine who gets seen, who gets paid, and increasingly, how much of yourself you have to give away to stay relevant.

Manpreet sits down with New York Magazine features writer Rebecca Jennings to unpack what she calls the “influencer recession” and the increasingly complicated economics of making a living online. We talk about…