Amy Kelly, co-founder of Revive Health Therapy, is a licensed family therapist who has seen many creators. She is familiar with many of these issues, likening the growth of the industry to a “zero maintenance machine.”

She said influencers and creators may also lose their sense of view due to the ever-building integrated connections they have built online.

“When we get these likes, hearts and messages, we get these dopamine responses…it ridicules and mimics real-life interactions,” she said.

But, on the other hand, when these comments are not likable, they may feel disproportionate. "My reaction will be intensified and like a random person yelling at me in the street," she said.

This is a question Powell may have to do with. She said she has recently been called Fat Online just to praise Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy. When she helped open a cannabis community for black women in the industry, she said she was harassed by X (mostly other black people) and was accused of “trying to implant ideas about drug use and black communities.”

When she talks to executives, Powell sometimes emphasizes her marketing background rather than her status as an influencer. She said there was "certainly some stigma" around the latter, where it was deemed not "not really work."

But that perception is changing, according to Danial Abas, president of the American Creator Association. Founded in 2023, the guild is a nonprofit organization designed to protect and advocate for creators and influencers. This is not a trade union.

“I don’t think people and businesses fully recognize the meaning of impact,” Abbas said. “Focus is business, and every business needs to pay attention…creators are leading the curve because they are getting attention for themselves.”

The association says it represents more than 1,000 creators (ABAS won't provide exact numbers), and recently released the "Rider", a set of standards companies that work with creators can adapt and legally comply. One of the key principles is to agree to pay the creator within 90 days. Abbas said the lack of payments is a major stressor for creators.

“Basically, it’s not clear whether you want to pay your rent or the work you’ve done is incorrect,” said Abas. In creating legitimacy for professionals, the guild is also considering establishing certification for certain creators and building a database called HUE, similar to IMDB, to showcase their work.

Riders also stipulate that creators have what they produce. Abbas said the rider has been adopted by brands such as Whalar and Linktree.

Abbas said the guild is not a union because it does not have the leverage to strike, and “requiring payment terms can actually kill creativity.” Similarly, he said the guild can’t provide medical benefits to members who pay $99 a year.

Lazar said she has held talks with multiple associations to assess how creators are eligible for health benefits, but that is still an ongoing work. She also hopes that others are inspired to follow CreatorCare's suits.

Unlike Powell, she doesn't see her outside world and has no attraction to be a creator, so she wants to improve everyone's conditions.

"I'm like Joan Rivers; I'll create until I die, which is why I want to make sure I can thrive," she said.