Cornell researchers say social media creators often struggle to speak publicly about burnout because the work is viewed as a dream job and depends heavily on platforms, sponsors and audiences.
Brooke Erin Duffy, a professor of communication in Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and doctoral candidate Rosie Nguyen studied how creators define, explain and manage burnout in platform-dependent work.
Their article, "'Creator Burnout is Real': Risk, Responsibility, and Un/speakability in Platform-Dependent Creative Labor," was published July 7 in New Media & Society.
The researchers analyzed 58 examples of creators' self-authored content on TikTok and YouTube, 62 news media accounts and 78 in-depth interviews with creators.
Duffy said interview participants repeatedly described psychological strain, including exhaustion, pressure from platforms and sponsors, and difficulty taking breaks.
The researchers found that creator burnout is partly "unspeakable" because creators' work is informal, public-facing and often framed as privileged or aspirational. Speaking out can also draw backlash from audiences.
Nguyen, who worked as a travel author and influencer in Vietnam before beginning doctoral work at Cornell in 2023, said creators described feeling gratitude toward the communities and platforms they depend on, making it harder to discuss harms.
The study found that content creators often normalize burnout as part of the job. Researchers also said creators lack many protections available in traditional employment because they generally work as independent contractors.
Duffy said one recurring concern was the fear that taking a break would trigger punishment by platform algorithms.
The study also found gender differences in how creators described burnout. Nguyen said male creators tended to describe a "grinding" ethos, while women more often turned to self-care or restorative practices.
The researchers said proposals such as a Creator Bill of Rights and organizations focused on creator mental health could help bring attention to the risks of platform-dependent creative work.
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