“Influencer translates a thing”

Karl Bode wrote a fantastic article about a style of journalism called “CEO said a thing.” It’s a really good piece; you should check it out. It instantly made me think about a similar phenomenon I call “Influencer translates a thing.”

“Influencer translates a thing” is when an influencer reads a piece of journalism, a report, a technical post, or some other source, translates or summarizes it into another language, and presents it as original insight without adding meaningful attribution, context, or analysis.

This might be especially recognizable if you move between two languages or media ecosystems and keep feeling like you’ve seen this “original insight” somewhere before.

One common version of this is English-language journalism, research, or tech writing repackaged for a local audience.

You’ve probably seen the format: a thread, reel, or TikTok explaining “what no one is talking about” in tech, science, politics, or business, only to realize later that the whole thing was basically a translation of a Wired article, a research paper, a company blog post, or someone else’s reporting.

And you might be thinking: “Hey, translating a thing is valuable.” And you’d be right. Translation is valuable!

The problem is when they don’t present it as reporting, translation, or curation. When “Influencer translates a thing” happens, it is often done without proper attribution, context, understanding, or added editorial value. It is made to look like original thought, or as if the influencer personally discovered the thing.

Well, at least they are “helping” people learn about the thing, right?

Don’t get me wrong, curation and synthesis are valuable. But “Influencer translates a thing” repackages another person’s reporting into personal thought leadership.

Since this kind of content is usually distributed in short-form formats and optimized for engagement, the people doing it are often rewarded for shallow explanations. They turn information into empty calories: content that gives people the feeling of being informed while removing the things that make information useful, like source, context, nuance, uncertainty, and accountability.

Well, yeah, but so what?

Influencers are, unfortunately, replacing some of the function that journalism and reporting used to have. As journalism is pressured by Big Tech platforms, governments, and broken business models, and pushed further out of the information flow, we are forgetting what journalism and reporting are supposed to look like.

To be fair, not all journalism is good. A lot of journalism is shallow, clickbaity, or lazy too, just like what Karl is pointing out with “CEO said a thing.” But at least journalism has norms it can be judged against: attribution, corrections, verification, and accountability. Think of cases where media outlets have suspended or fired reporters over fabricated or AI-generated quotes. Those norms do not prevent failure, but they do create a standard for consequences.

And yes, a lot of journalism, particularly tech and science reporting, often fails to reach non-English-speaking audiences. One could argue that “Influencer translates a thing,” even imperfectly, helps distribute knowledge more effectively than legacy media.

But filling that gap does not excuse pretending translation is original insight, omitting sources, exaggerating claims, or replacing understanding and critical thinking with engagement bait.

Again, the problem with “Influencer translates a thing” is not influencers explaining things. The problem is laundering other people’s work into personal authority, often borrowing the authority of journalism or expertise without accepting its obligations.

So next time you see content that looks like “Influencer translates a thing,” ask a few simple questions: Where did this come from? What did they leave out? Or is this just empty calories?

Those questions are not unfair. If someone wants to sit in the middle of the information flow and reap the benefits, they should also be ready for the scrutiny and responsibility that come with that position.

If you read this and realized you are doing “Influencer translates a thing” content, don't panic. The fix is simple: add a layer of value. Bring your own perspective. Explain the context. Say what you are uncertain about. Cite the source. Keep the trail intact.

And if that sounds like too much work, maybe you should stop. Because then you are not translating, curating, or explaining. You are just laundering someone else’s work.