Is there a dark side to content creation?

For years, the narrative around the creator economy has been dominated by stories of MBAs and engineers quitting stable jobs to chase influencer fame. But the tide seems to be quietly turning. 

Behind the glamour of viral videos and brand deals we have been hearing a murmur about a less talked-about reality - algorithm fatigue, pressure to perform a curated lifestyle, inconsistent income, and long waits for meaningful endorsements. 

Increasingly, a section of content creators is choosing to step away from the hustle and return to 9-to-5 roles, seeking stability over uncertainty. It marks a moment of retrospection for the creator economy, underscoring that while some strike gold, content creation remains a high-risk gamble where not everyone makes the big bucks.

A recent example is YouTuber Logesh Kumaar, best known for the Kumaar Family YouTube channel. In a candid video, Kumaar announced that he was quitting full-time content creation and returning to a regular job.

“It was my dream to try YouTube full-time, but in reality, to be honest, I failed,” he said.

In a follow-up video, Kumaar clarified that content creation would continue, but no longer as his primary source of income. His experience resonated with many creators who have struggled to sustain predictable earnings despite consistent output and audience engagement.

This isn't an isolated case, industry watchers say this pattern is common.

Nalini Unagar, a food creator who ran multiple YouTube channels, announced her exit from the platform after failing to generate any financial returns despite a heavy investment of Rs 8 lakh. Over three years, Unagar spent lakhs on setting up a studio kitchen, purchasing professional equipment, and stocking up on kitchen accessories, hoping to build a sustainable presence in the competitive food content space.

“Let me confess today, I have invested approximately ₹8 lakh in my YouTube channel for building a kitchen, buying studio equipment, and promotions. The return? ₹0,” she wrote on X. 

However, the response she received fell far short of expectations. Nidhi listed her studio equipment and kitchen setup for sale. 

In a candid post accompanied by photographs of her kitchen, she wrote, “I failed in my YouTube career, so I’m selling all my kitchen accessories and studio equipment. If anyone is interested in buying, please let me know.”

Income in the creator economy is uneven by design. Brand deals are cyclical, advertising rates fluctuate, and revenue varies sharply by category. While finance or technology creators may command higher payouts, even they experience prolonged lean periods.

“Some months are good, some months are completely dry,” said one creator manager. “There is no guaranteed baseline income, and that uncertainty compounds over time.”

According to Qoruz reports from early 2025, India’s creator economy saw massive growth, reaching over 4 million (40.6 lakh) social media influencers in 2024, up from under a million in 2020, representing a 322 percent surge. While fashion, gaming, and arts and entertainment lead in numbers, categories like lifestyle and travel also saw significant jumps between 2023 and 2024, with lifestyle growing over 130 percent and travel by 67 percent.

Experts suggest that even though the number of creators has increased over the years, the number of creators turning this into a full-time job has reduced. Many are either switching back to the 9-to-5 cycle while creating content simultaneously, or quitting content creation altogether.

Viraj Sheth, Co-founder of Monk Entertainment, said creators who rely on a single platform remain vulnerable. “Creators cannot depend on a single platform for visibility. They benefit from distributing across multiple channels so that one policy change never limits their reach. They strengthen their position by building owned communities through email, WhatsApp, or newsletters. They design repeatable formats that can adapt to moderation shifts. And they focus on business outcomes so brands see them as long-term partners rather than short-term risks.”

Gautam Madhavan, CEO and founder of Xley, a platform that helps creators reach the right brand deals, believes creators like Logesh Kumaar are not abandoning content creation but rebalancing it.

“Logesh quitting full-time content creation is not a quit. He has taken a regular job that pays him money, and content creation remains his passion project,” he said.

Madhavan attributed such decisions to multiple factors, including lack of mentorship, creator fatigue, and operational complexity. “There’s no one good to guide a creator. Too many decision-makers, especially when families are involved, can dilute instinctive decisions.”

The illusion created by top-tier success

The visibility of top creators often skews expectations. Influencers like Sourav Joshi and Mr Beast, who have uploaded daily vlogs without interruption for over five or 10 years, have built large audiences, bought homes, and turned content into scalable businesses. For many aspiring creators, these success stories become benchmarks, without accounting for the time, capital, and consistency required to reach that level.

What often goes unacknowledged is the upfront investment involved in equipment, editing, and team building, as well as the years it takes to stabilise viewership and brand trust. Replicating top-tier success is far more complex than posting regularly.

Beyond algorithms and financial stability

Copyright enforcement has emerged as a major source of anxiety. Several creators have alleged that large broadcasters, including ANI, have accused them of copyright violations and threatened their YouTube channels with strikes that could result in takedowns.

If a page with millions of followers disappears in a single day, creators can lose five or six years of work instantly.

According to creators, these accusations often led to private negotiations where significant sums were demanded in the name of penalties or licensing fees. The issue gained national attention after YouTuber Mohak Mangal released a video describing ANI’s actions as “extortionary”.

While ANI has taken the matter to the Delhi High Court and the case is ongoing, court filings revealed that some creators were charged amounts as high as ₹45 lakh to prevent their channels from being shut down.

The issue was also raised in Parliament by politician Raghav Chadha, highlighting a growing disconnect between India’s copyright law and how enforcement operates on digital platforms. While the Copyright Act outlines a judicially anchored process, platforms like YouTube rely on private enforcement systems that bypass these safeguards.

As a result, creators experience copyright not as a legal framework but as a platform policy. Seconds-long clips used for commentary, criticism, or education can still trigger strikes, and the three-strike termination regime has no basis in Indian statute. Instead, it operates contractually, placing the full burden of risk on creators.

Safety, harassment, and gendered risks

For women creators, the risks often extend beyond financial instability. Several high-profile cases have highlighted how public visibility can turn into sustained harassment.

Last week, gaming creator Payal Gaming became a victim of AI misuse after deep fake videos were circulated online. In a public statement, she wrote, “Maharashtra Cyber has officially issued a certificate conclusively establishing that I am NOT the individual in the viral video. Their forensic investigation has confirmed that the content in circulation was created by maliciously morphing my photographs with the deliberate intent to defame and damage my reputation.”

Despite official clarification, such incidents leave long-term reputational and emotional scars. Influencers including Anjali Arora and Anjali Singh of Kacha Badam fame have faced similar episodes, underscoring how exposure can disproportionately impact women creators.

For many, the psychological toll becomes a decisive factor in stepping away from content creation altogether.

Tax compliance and regulatory ambiguity

As the creator economy grows, regulatory oversight has begun to catch up, bringing new challenges. The Income Tax Department recently introduced profession code 16021 for “Social Media Influencers” in ITR-3 and ITR-4 forms. The move acknowledges the sector’s scale, with India’s estimated 1.5 million influencers contributing to a market projected to reach $2.8 billion in 2025, according to a Kantar report.

However, the classification has created confusion. “The code lists influencers as professionals, but social media content creation isn’t a specified profession under Rule 6F of the Income Tax Act, unlike law or medicine,” said a legal expert.

This ambiguity forces creators to choose between declaring income as business or professional earnings, often without adequate guidance.

A system built on pressure

At its core, the creator economy demands constant performance. Creators do not own distribution and remain fully dependent on algorithms. They face relentless pressure to post, chase trends, and stay relevant. Revenue remains unpredictable, with no fixed salary or social security. Creative isolation, public scrutiny, hate comments, and decision fatigue further erode sustainability.

A 24-year-old influencer, Misha Agarwal, died by suicide on April 24, just two days before her 25th birthday. The incident not only shook her online community but also forced the influencer marketing ecosystem to confront a question often avoided: how much weight does follower count really carry?

Misha’s family took to her Instagram account to share that she had been battling depression, largely triggered by a steady drop in her follower base. According to their statement, Misha had built her identity around Instagram, aiming to reach one million followers, a goal so personal that she had set it as her phone’s lock screen. Her family revealed that she frequently broke down over the issue, fearing that losing followers would end her career.

“We reminded her of her other achievements, her LLB degree, her plans to appear for judicial services, but she didn’t see beyond her numbers on Instagram,” read the post. “She had talent, but her self-worth was tied to her digital reach.”

Aditya Gurwara, co-founder and head of brand alliances at influencer analytics platform Qoruz, acknowledged that while follower count still plays a role, the industry is shifting. “It’s not just about followers anymore. We focus heavily on average engagement and views. If someone has big numbers but lacks meaningful engagement, they’re not likely to be selected for a campaign. Brands want value for every rupee spent,” he said.

The reverse drain from full-time creation to conventional employment is not a failure of individual creators. It is a reflection of a maturing industry beginning to confront its structural realities.

KlugKlug, an Influencer Marketing SaaS platform, recently did an industry analysis on the true size of India’s influencer marketing industry. With this analysis, they claimed that India’s influencer marketing industry has surpassed ₹10,000 crores in real deployment. This figure stands in sharp contrast to the quoted estimates of ₹3,000–4,000 crores by EY. 

Scaling a creator business requires legal knowledge, financial planning, contract negotiation, and hiring, skills most creators are never trained for. Over time, creativity often gives way to survival, leaving long-term success overshadowed by emotional stress and performance anxiety.

Content theft is also a persistent issue. Creators often do not know whom to complain to or where to go to voice their concerns. Idea fatigue, confusion around what to post next, and long-term burnout are common. 

Even established creators like Prajakta Kohli have spoken about facing similar creative fatigue before diversifying into writing or acting. Others have leaned into life milestones, including marriage, as part of content evolution, as seen in creators like Ankita Shegal, a strategy often acknowledged humorously by creators themselves, who have openly referenced it in their bios and interviews.