essay on social media influencers

The effect of social media influencers' on teenagers Behavior: an empirical study using cognitive map technique

• Published: 31 January 2023
• Volume 42 , pages 19364–19377, ( 2023 )

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• Karima Lajnef   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1084-6248 1  

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The increase in the use of social media in recent years has enabled users to obtain vast amounts of information from different sources. Unprecedented technological developments are currently enabling social media influencers to build powerful interactivity with their followers. These interactions have, in one way or another, influenced young people's behaviors, attitudes, and choices. Thus, this study contributes to the psychological literature by proposing a new approach for constructing collective cognitive maps to explain the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teenagers' behavior. More in depth, this work is an attempt to use cognitive methods to identify adolescents' mental models in the Tunisian context. The findings reveal that the influencers' distinctive features are interconnected. As a result, the influencer's distinctive features are confirmed in one way or another, to the teenagers' behavior. These findings provide important insights and recommendations for different users, including psychologists and academics.

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Introduction

The number of social media users has increased rapidly in the last few years. According to the global ‘State of Digital’ report (2021), the number of social media users reached 4.20 billion, which represents 53% of the world’s total population. This number has risen by more than 13% compared to the last year (2020). In Tunisia, until January 2021 the number of social media users has increased to 8.20 million, which represents 69 percent of the total population, while 97%, are accessed via mobile phones. According to the ALEXA report ( 2021 ), Google.com, Facebook are the most used networks by Tunisian people. Most importantly, 18, 5% of Facebook users are under 13 years old.

In fact, the emphasis on social media has created a consensus among tech companies, leading to the creation of more platforms. Today, the diversity of such platforms has created a new horizon of social media in terms of usage and ideas.

Many people whose careers’ are largely reliant on social media are known as "influencers". More than a profession, for some people, it is even considered as a way of life. Influencers use social media every day to express their opinions and critiques on many topics (like lifestyle, health, beauty) and objects (e.g. brands, services, and products). Accordingly, one of the most important marketing strategies in the market is relying on influencers, which has known as influencer marketing (Audrezet et al., 2020 ; Boerman, 2020 ; Lou & Yuan, 2019 ). In 2017, influencer marketing was considered as the most widespread and trendiest’ communication strategy used by the companies. Therefore, influencers have been considered by many marketing experts as opinion leaders because of their important role in persuading and influencing their followers (De Veirman et al., 2017 ). According to the two-step flow of communication theory, the influencer, as a representative of an organization, is inviting to filter, decode and create messages to match with his particular follower base (Lazarsfeld et al., 1944 ). An influencer is a mediator between consumers and organizations. According to Tarsakoo and Charoensukmongkol ( 2019 ), social media marketing implementation capabilities have a positive effect on customer relationship sustainability. In line with the premise of observational learning theory, influence occurs when the consumers use precedent information and observations shared with them gradually to extend their decision-making by evolving their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, (Bandura & Adams, 1977 ). In fact, the consumers are sizeable social networks of followers. In their turn, consumers, especially youth and adolescents, consider influencers as a source of transparency, credibility, and source of personal information from what helps the offered brands to be enlarged through the large social media network (e.g. Jin and Phua, 2014).

Social media influencers play a greater role in controlling and influencing the behavior of the consumer especially young people and teenagers (e.g. Marwick, 2015 ; Sokolova & Kefi, 2020 ). Actually, the use of Smartphone's has become an integral part of the lives of both young people and adolescents. According to Anderson ( 2018 ), 95% of teenagers aged between 13 and 17 own a Smartphone. For young people, the pre-social media era has become something of a blur. This generation has known as Generation Z where its members were born between the nineties and the 2000s. What distinguishes this generation is its extensive use of the Internet at an early age. For them, the social media presents an important part of their social life and since then many thinkers set out to explore the effects of using social media platforms at an early age on adolescents' lives. The excessive use of social media may have an effect on teens' mental health. In fact, adolescence is the interval period between childhood and adulthood. A teenager is not a child to act arbitrarily and is not an adult to make critical decisions. Therefore, young people and teenagers have considered as the most sensitive class of consumers. Teenagers' brain creates many changes that make them more sensitive to the impressions of others, especially the view of their peers (e.g. Elkind, 1967 ; Dacey & Kenny, 1994 ; Arnett, 2000 ). Adolescents' mental changes cause many psychological and cognitive problems. According to Social identity theory, teens appreciate the positive reinforcement they get by being included in a group and dislike the feeling of social rejection (Tajfel, 1972 ). To reinforce their sense of belonging, teens are following influencers on social media (e.g., Loureiro & Sarmento, 2019 ). In line with psychological theories, the attachment theory helps to clarify interpersonal relationships between humans. This theory provides the framework to explain the relationship between adolescents and influencers. Several studies have confirmed that the distinctive feature of social media influencers, including relatedness, autonomy and competence affects the behavior, the psychological situation and the emotional side of the consumers (Deci & Ryan, 2000 ). Does the distinctive feature of social media influencers affect teens' behavior? This kind of questions have become among the most controversial ones (e.g. Djafarova & Rushworth, 2017 ). This problem is still inconclusive, even not addressed in some developing countries like Tunisia. Indeed, it is clear that there are considerable gaps in terms of the academic understanding of what characteristics of social media influencers and their effect on teen behaviors. This problem still arises because the lack of empirical works is investigating in this area.

Therefore, this study contributes to the literature by different ways. First, this paper presents a review of the social media influencers' distinctive features in Tunisian context. This is important because social influencers have been considered as credible and trustworthy sources of information (e.g. Sokolova & Kefi, 2020 ). On the others hand, this study identifies the motivations that teens have for following social influencers. MICS6 Survey (2020) shows a gradual increase in suicide rates among Tunisian children (0–19 years). According to the general delegate for child protection, the phenomenon is in part linked to the intensive use of online games. Understanding the main drivers of social media influence among young Tunisians can help professionals and families guide them. Empirically, this study provides the first investigation of teens’ mental models using the cognitive approach.

The rest of this paper is organized as the following: The second part presents thetheoretical background and research hypotheses. The third part introduces the research methodology. The forth part is reserved to application and results. In the last part, both the conclusion and recommendations are highlighted.

Theoretical background and research hypotheses

Social media influencers' distinctive features.

"Informational social influence" is a concept that has been used in literature by Deutsch & Gerard, 1955 ), and defined as the change in behavior or opinions that happened when people (consumers) are conformed to other people (influencers) because they believe that they have precise and true information (e.g. Djafarova & Rushworth, 2017 , Alotaibi et al., 2019 ). According to (Chahal, 2016 ), there are two kinds of "influencers". The classic ones are the scientists, reporters, lawyers, and all others examples of people who have expert-level knowledge and the new ones are the Social media influencers. Accordingly, social media influencers have many followers that trust them especially on the topics related to their domain of knowledge (e.g. Moore et al., 2018 ). According to the Psychology of Influence perspective, people, often, do not realize that they are influenced because the effect occurs mainly in their subconscious (Pligt & Vliek, 2016 ). When influencers advocate an idea, a service, or a product, they can make a psychological conformity effect on followers through their distinctive features (Colliander, 2019 ; Jahoda, 1959 ).

Vollenbroek et al. ( 2014 ) investigated a study about social media influencers and the impact of these actors on the corporate reputation. To create their model, the authors use the Delphi method. The experts have exposed to a questionnaire that included the characteristics of influential actors, interactions, and networks. The first round of research indicates that a bulk of experts has highlighted the importance of intrinsic characteristics of influencers such as knowledge, commitment, and trust etcetera. While others believe that, the size of the network or the reach of a message determines the influence. The results of the second round indicate that the most agreed-upon distinctive characteristics to be a great influencer are being an active mind, being credible, having expertise, being authoritative, being a trendsetter, and having a substantive influence in discussions and conversations. According to previous literature, among the characteristics that distinguish the influencers is the ability to be creative, original, and unique. Recently, Casaló et al. ( 2020 ) indicated that originality and uniqueness positively influence opinion leadership on Instagram. For the rest of this section, we are going to base on the last two studies to draw on the most important distinctive features of social media influencers.

Credibility (expertise and trustworthiness)

According to Lou and Yuan ( 2019 ), one of the most distinctive characteristics that attract the audience is the influencer's credibility specifically the expertise and trustworthiness. In fact, source credibility is a good way of persuasion because it has related to many conceptualizations. Following Hovland et al. ( 1953 ), credibility has subdivided into expertise and trustworthiness. The expertise has reflected the knowledge and competence of the source (influencer) in a specific area (Ki & Kim, 2019 ; McCroskey, 1966 ). While trustworthiness is represented in influencer honesty and sincerity (Giffin, 1967 ). Such characteristics help the source (influencer) to be more convincing. According to the source credibility theory, consumers (social media audience) give more importance to the source of information to take advantage of the expertise and knowledge of influencers (e.g. Ohanian, 1990 ; Teng et al., 2014 ). Spry et al., ( 2011 ) pointed out that a trusted influencer's positive perception of a product and/or service positively affects consumers' attitudes towards recommended brandsHowever, if the product does not meet the required specifications, consumers lose trust in the product and the influencer (Cheung et al., 2009 ). Based on source credibility theory, this work tested one of the research goals: the effect of expertise and credibility on adolescent behavior.

Originality and creativity

Originality in social media represents the ability of an influencer to provide periodically new and differentiate content that attracts the attention of the audience. The content has perceived as innovative, sophisticated, and unusual. Social media influencers look for creating an authentic image in order to construct their own online identity. Marwick ( 2013 ) defined authenticity as "the way in which individuals distinguish themselves, not only from each other but from other types of media". Most of the time, an authentic and different content attracts attention, and sometimes the unusual topics make surprising (Derbaix & Vanhamme, 2003 ). According to Khamis et al. ( 2017 ), social media influencers attract the consumers' attention by posting authentic content. In fact, the audience often appreciates the originality and the creativity of the ideas (Djafarova & Rushworth, 2017 ).The originality of the content posted by an influencer has considered as a way to resonate with their public (Hashoff, 2017 ). When a company seeks to promote its products and services through social media, it is looking for an influential representative who excels at presenting original and different content. The brand needs to be presented by credible and believable influencers that create authentic content (Sireni, 2020 ). One of the aims of this work is to identify the effect of the authentic content on teen’s behaviors.

Trendsetter and uniqueness

According to Maslach et al. ( 1985 ), uniqueness is the case in which the individual feels distinguished compared to others. Tian et al. ( 2001 ) admitted that individuals attempt to be radically different from others to enhance their selves and social images. The uniqueness in content represents the ability of the influencer to provide an uncirculated content specific to him. Gentina et al. ( 2014 ) proved that male adolescents take into account the uniqueness of the content when they evaluated the influencer role particularly in evaluating the role of an opinion leader. Casaló et al. ( 2020 ) indicated that uniqueness positively influences the leadership opinion. Thus, the uniqueness of influencers’ contents may affect audiences’ attitude. Therefore, we aim to test the effect of the influencers’ contents uniqueness and trendsetter on teenagers’ behaviors.

Persuasion has a substantive influence in discussions and conversations. According to the Psychology of Persuasion, the psychological tactic that revolves around harnessing the principles of persuasion supports in one way or another the influencer’s marketing. The objective is to persuade people to make purchase decisions. Persuasion aims commonly to change others attitudes and behavior in a context of relative freedom (e.g. Perloff, 2008 ; Crano & Prislin, 2011 ; Shen & Bigsb, 2013 ). According to Scheer and Stern ( 1992 ), the dynamic effect of marketing occurs when an influencer persuades consumers to participate in a specific business. Influencers' goal is to convince the audiences of their own ideas, products, or services. There are six principles of persuasion, which are consensus, consistency, scarcity, reciprocity, authority, and liking. Thus, among the objectives of this study is to set the effect of influencers' persuasion on teens' behavior.

To sum up, our hypothesis is as the following:

H1: Social media influencers' distinctive features affect teenagers’ behavior.

Social media influencers' and teenagers’ behavior

Young people and adolescents are increasingly using social media, consequently, they receive a lot of information from different sources that may influence in one way or another their behavior and decisions. Accordingly, the Digital report (2021) (published in partnership with Hootsuite and we Are Social) indicated that connected technologies became an integral part of people's lives, and it has seen great development in the last twelve months especially with regard to social media, e-commerce, video games, and streaming content. According to the statistics raised in the global State of Digital (2021), the number of social media users has increased by 490 million users around the world compared to last year to attain 4.20 billion. In Tunisia, until January 2021 the number of social media users has increased to attain 8.20 million, which represents 69 percent of the total population while 97% accessing via mobile phone. According to the ALEXA report ( 2021 ), Google.com, Facebook and YouTube are the networks most used by Tunisian people. In addition, 18, 5% of Facebook users are under 13 years old.The use of social media by young people has recently increased, which led us to ask about the influence of such an alternative on their psychological and mental conditions, their identity formation, and their self-estimation. One of this study aims is also to answer the question: why teens follow Social media influencers?

Identity formation

Identity formation relates to the complex way in which human beings institute a continued unique view of the self (Erikson, 1950 ). Consequently, this concept has largely attached to terms like self-concept, personality development, and value. Identity, in a simplified way, is an aggregation of the “self-concept, who we are” and “self-awareness” (Aronson et al., 2005 ). In line with communication theory, Scott ( 1987 ) indicated that interpersonal connection is a key factor in identity formation. Most importantly, the individual's identity formation is the cornerstone of building a personality. A stream of research indicates that consumers accept influence from others they identify with and refuse influence when they desire to disconnect (Berger & Heath, 2007 ; White & Dahl, 2006 ).

Adolescence is a transitional stage in individuals' lives that represents the interval between childhood and adulthood (e.g. Hogan & Astone, 1986 ; Sawyer et al., 2018 ). From here begins teens' psychological conflicts that call into question-related to themselves and about their role in society (e.g. Hill et al., 2018 ). In fact, teens go through many experiences because of the physical and psychological changes during the self-establishment phase, which influences not only their identity formation but also their own personality. At this stage, radical changes occur in their lives, which may affect the course of their future life. The family (precisely parents' behaviors) represents the first influencer on their kids' view of themselves, but this is not the main side. In the era of globalization and technological development, social media has become an important role in shaping the identity of adolescents (see Gajaria et al., 2011 ). In the adolescent stage, individuals start to use the flood of information received from various sources (especially from social media) to find out a sense of self and personal identity. Davis ( 2013 ) affirmed that students who communicated online with their peers express better visibility of self-concept. In its turn, self-concept visibility has related to friendship quality. According to Arnett and Hughes ( 2014 ), identity formation is the result of "thinking about the type of person you want to be” (p. 340). Due to the intense appearance of social media in the lives of teenagers, identity formation is highly affected by social media influencers' personalities. Kunkel et al. ( 2004 ) affirmed that targeted advertisements in social media affect the identity molding of teens by encouraging them to espouse new habits of appearance and consumption. Identification is easier when there is a previous model to mimic.

This work aims to explore the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on the healthy identity development of teens.

Mimetic bias

Investigating mimicry in the psychological literature is not a recent subject. Kendon ( 1970 ) and LaFrance ( 1982 ) were the first researchers that introduce the mimicry concept in literature. Nevertheless, exploring mimicry effect on peoples’ behavior presents a new area of research. Many researchers like Chartrand and Dalton ( 2009 ) and Stel & Vonk ( 2010 ) presented mimicry as the interaction of an individual with others through observing and mirroring their behaviors, attitudes, expressions, and postures. Chartrand and Dalton ( 2009 ) indicated that social surroundings are easily contagious and confirmed the high ability of individuals to mimic what they see in their social environment. Individuals resort to mimicry to fulfill their desire to belong to a group and be active members of society. Therefore, Lakin et al. ( 2003 ) affirmed that mimicry could be used to enhance social links with others. Such behavior aims to bring people closer to each other and create intimacy. White and Argo ( 2011 ) classified mimicry as conscious and unconscious. According to the Neuroscience literature, unconscious mimicry occurs due to the activation of individual mirror neurons that lead to mimic others (e.g. Hatfield et al., 1994 ). Thus, mimickers “automatically” imitate others in many situations like facial expressions (e.g., smiling), behavioral expressions (e.g., laughing), and postural expressions (e.g., hand positioning) (Meltzoff & Moore, 1983 ; LaFrance & Broadbent, 1976 ; Simner, 1971 ). On the other hand, a recent stream of research has advocated conscious mimicry (White & Argo, 2011 ; Ruvio et al., 2013 ). Ruvio et al. ( 2013 ) have presented the "Consumer’s Doppelganger Effect" theory. According to the authors, when consumers have the intention to look like their role models, they imitate them.

One of the paradoxical challenges in the adolescence period is the teens' simultaneous need for "mimic" and "differentiation ".Among the most common questions asked between adolescents is "Who we are?”. The identification of themselves based commonly on a comparison between them and members of the group to which they aim to belong. The feeling of being normal is an obsession that haunts the majority of teenagers. Their sense of being within the norm and not being alienated or disagreed with others prompts teenagers to do anything even if this poses a danger to them just to be accepted by others. Today, with the development of social media, family, peers and friends are no longer the only influencers that teens mimic, but this environment has expanded to include social media influencers. Teens give more attention to their online image and mimic social media influencers to achieve a sense of belonging. According to Cabourg and Manenti ( 2017 ), the content shared by adolescents with each other about their lives on their own social networks helps them understand and discover each other, and create their identity away from their parents. This phenomenon turns into a problem when adolescents mimic each other only not to be excluded or rejected, even if these actions do not represent them.

Another important aim of this study is to explore the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teen’s mimicry behavior.

Confirmation bias

Cabourg and Manenti ( 2017 ) pointed out that it is a necessity for a teenager to be a part of a peer group. Belonging to the group for a teenager reinforces his/her sense of existence away from family restrictions. As we have mentioned before and in line with Hernandez et al. ( 2014 ), teens need to create peer relationships, whether to contribute positively or negatively to their psychosocial side and undoubtedly play a crucial role in the development of identity. Araman and Brambilla ( 2016 ) argued that: "Teenage is an important stage in life, full of physical and psychological transformation, awakening in love and professional concerns. Identifying yourself with a group makes you feel stronger, to say that you exist, and even to distinguish yourself from society”. The development of social media platforms promotes the desire of teens to a group belonging. Social media platforms, such as tick-tock, Facebook, and Instagram, motivate their users to interact with likes and comments on others people’s posts. In fact, according to Davis ( 2012 ), casual communication between teens through social networking using text and instant messages enhances their sense of belonging. Furthermore, the author indicates that social media helps teens to compare their ideas and experiences with their peers, which support their sense of belonging. According to Zeng et al. ( 2017 ), social media interactions aim to create strong social bonds and raise emotional belonging to a community. Confirmation bias occurs when an individual cannot think and create outside the herd. Equally important, due to the confirmation bias, teens cannot identify themselves, except by flying inside the swarm. Teens may identify themselves as fans of a famous influencer just to feel the sense of belonging. This work tests the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teens’ sense of belonging.

Self-esteem

Psychological literature defines Self-esteem as the individual’s evaluation of himself or herself that can be positive or negative (Smith et al., 2014 ). Coopersmith ( 1965 ) affirmed that the self-esteem is the extent to which an individual views his self as competent and worthwhile. A stream of past works highlighted the effects of social media on self-esteem (Błachnio et al., 2016 ; Denti et al., 2012 ; Gonzales & Hancock, 2011 ). The majority of them found that audiences with low self-esteem use more social networks’ to reinforce their self-esteem. Due to technological developments, social media networks offer a self-comparison between users. According to Festinger ( 1954 ), social media users focus more on self-evaluations by making social comparisons with others concerning many issues like beauty, popularity, social classes or roles, wealth accumulation, etc. Social comparison is a part of building a teen's personal identity (Weinstein, 2017 ). Among adolescents, there are two types of comparisons on social media, which are upward comparison, and downward comparison (Steers et al., 2014 ). The first one has related to weakened levels of self-esteem and high depressive symptoms. The second one is characterized by expanding levels of self-esteem and low levels of anxiety (Burrow & Rainone, 2017 ). According to Wright et al. ( 2018 ), self-presentation on social media is related to the extent to which others accept and the determined level of belonging that based on the number of likes and comments.

This study aims to test the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teens’ self-esteem.

Digital distraction

Social media has taken over most of the spare time. It has displaced the time spent on other activities like reading, watching TV, make sports etc.… (Twenge et al., 2019 ). Consequently, the phenomenon of digital distraction has widely spread, especially with the rise of smartphones use. The results of a study established by Luna ( 2018 ) indicated that the use of smartphones during a meal leads to minimize the levels of connectedness and enjoyment and increase the levels of distraction comparing to those who set devices off. Martiz ( 2015 ) found that students with Internet addiction often feel lonely and depressed. Recently, Emerick et al. ( 2019 ) affirmed that the students themselves agree that spending a lot of time using social media leads to distraction. Many studies have proven that most teens spend a lot of time online (e.g., Anderson & Jiang, 2018 ; Twenge et al., 2018 ). Thus, they are the most vulnerable to digital distraction. We believe that whenever distinctive features of influencers are good, the most important impact they have on young people, leads to distraction.

At this level, our second hypothesis is as the following:

H2. The behavior and cognitive biases of teens are affected by social media influence.

Research methods

The cognitive maps.

The cognitive map is relatively an old technique (Huff, 1990 ). However, the use of cognitive maps in scientific research has increased in recent years. According to Axelrod ( 1976 ), a cognitive map is a mathematical model that reflects a belief system of a person. In another words, a cognitive map is a representation of causal assertion way of a person on a limited area. At the beginning of the 1970s, it was intellectually popular amongst behavioral geographers to investigate the significance of cognitive maps, and their impacts on people’s spatial behavior. A cognitive map is a type of mental representation, which serves an individual to acquire, store, recall, code, and decode information about the relative locations and attributes of phenomena in their everyday or metaphorical spatial environment. It is usually defined as the graphical representation of a person belief about a particular field. A map is not a scientific model based on objective reality, but a graphical representation of an individual's specific beliefs and ideas about complex local situations and issues. It is relatively easy for humans to look at maps (cognitive maps in our case) and understand connections, between different concepts. Cognitive maps can therefore also be thought of as graphs. Graphs can be used to represent many interesting things about our world. It can also be used to solve various problems. According to Bueno & Salmeron ( 2009 ), Cognitive Maps are a powerful technique that helps to study human cognitive phenomena and specific topics in the world. This study uses cognitive maps as a tool to investigate the mental schema of teenagers in Tunisian Scouts. In fact, cognitive mapping helps to explore the impact of social media on teenage behavior in the Tunisian context. In other words, we focus on the effect of influencers' distinctive features on teen behavior.

Data collection and sample selection

The aim of this work is to explore the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teenagers' behavior in Tunisian context. On the other hand, this work investigates if the psychological health of teens is affected by social media influence. To analyze mentally processing multifactor-interdependencies by the human mind or a scenario with highly complex problems, we need more complex analysis methods like the cognitive map technique.

The questionnaire is one of the appropriate methods used to construct a collective cognitive map (Özesmi & Özesmi, 2004 ). Following Eden and Ackermann ( 1998 ), this study uses face-to-face interviews because it is the most flexible method for data collection and it is the appropriate way to minimize the questionnaire mistiness. The questionnaire contains two parts: the first part is reserved to identify the interviewees. The second part provides the list of concepts for each approach via cross-matrix. The questionnaire takes the form of an adjacency matrix (see Table 1 ). The data collection technique appropriate to build a cognitive map is the adjacent matrix. The adjacency matrix of a graph is an (n × n) matrix:

The variables used in the matrix can be pre-defined (by the interviewer using the previous literature) or it can be identified in the interview by the interviewees. This paper uses the first method to restrict the large number of variables related to both influencers’ distinctive features and teenagers' behavioral biases (see Table 2 ). This work identified two types of social media influencers that are Facebook bloggers and Instagrammers for two reasons. Facebook is the most coveted social network for Tunisians. It has more than 6.9 million active users in 2020 or 75% of the population (+ 13 years) of which 44.9% were female users and 55.1% male. On the other hand, Instagram is the second popular social media platform. It has more than 1.9 million, namely 21% of the Tunisian population (+ 13 years).

In this work, we deal with (10 × 10) adjacency matrix.

Experts (psychologists, academics, etc.) often analyze the relationships between social media and young people’s behavior. The contribution of this work is that we rely on the adolescents' point of view in order to test this problem using the cognitive maps method. To our knowledge, no similar research has been done before.

This work is in parallel to the framework of the Tunisian State project "Strengthening the partnership between the university and the economic and social environment". It aims to merge the scientific track with the association work. We have organized an intellectual symposium in conjunction with the Citizen Journalism Club of youth home and the Mohamed-Jlaiel Scouts Group of Mahres entitled "Social Influencers and Their Role in Changing Youth Behaviors”.This conference took place on April 3, 2021, in the hall of the municipality, under the supervision of an inspector of youth and childhood”. In fact, Scouts is a voluntary educational movement that aims to contribute to the development of young people to reach the full benefit of their physical and social capabilities to make them responsible individuals. Scouts offer children and adolescents an educational space complementary to that of the family and the school. The association emphasizes community life, taking responsibility, and learning resourcefulness.Scouting contributes to enhancing the individual's self-confidence and sense of belonging and keeps them away from digital distraction. Therefore, our sample has based on a questionnaire answered by young people belonging to the Tunisian Scoutsaged between 14 and 17 and, who belong to the Mohamed-Jlaiel Scouts Group of Mahres. In fact, scouting strengthens the willpower of young people and allows them to expand their possibilities for self-discipline. In addition, Scout youth are integrated into the community and spend more time in physical and mental activities than their peers who spend most of their free time on social media. Unfortunately, because of the epidemiological situation that Tunisia experienced during this period due to the spread of the Coronavirus, we could not summon more than 35 people, and the first sample was limited only to 25 young people. Thus, a second study with another data collection is needed. Over two successive months (November and December 2021), we make a few small workshops (due to the pandemic situation) with scouts’ young people. The second sample contains 38 teens. Therefore, our total data hold 63young people (26 female and 37 male). It should be noted that the surveys were carried out after parental consent.

We start our interviews with presenting the pros and cons of social mediaand its effect on audiences’ behavior. After forming an idea with the topic, we asked young people to answer the questionnaire presented to them after we defined and explained all the variables. We have directly supervised the questionnaire. Teens are invited to fulfill the questionnaire (in the form of a matrix) using four possibilities:

If variable i has no influence on variable j, the index (i, j) takes a value of zero

1 if variable I has a weak influence on variable j.

2 if variable I has a strong influence on variable j.

3 if variable I has a very strong influence on variable j.

To sumup, the final data contains 63 individual matrices. The aim of the questionnaire is then to build the perception maps (Lajnef et al., 2017 ).

Collective cognitive map method

This work is of qualitative investigation. The research instrument used in this study is the cognitive approach. This work aims to create a collective cognitive map using an interviewing process. Young peopleare invited to fill the adjacencymatrices by giving their opinion about the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teenagers' behavior. To draw up an overall view, individual maps (creating based on adjacency matrices) aggregated to create a collective cognitive map. Since individual maps denote individual thinking, collective map is used to understand the group thinking. The aggregation map aimed to show the point of similarities and differences between individuals (Lajnef et al., 2017 ). The cognitive map has formed essentially by two elements: concepts (variables) and links (relations between variables). The importance of a concept is mainly related to its link with other variables.

This technique helps to better understand the individual and collective cognitive universe. A cognitive map became a mathematical model that reflects a belief system of individuals since the pioneering work of Tolman ( 1948 ). Axelrod ( 1976 ) investigated the political and economic field and considered "cognitive maps" as graphs, reflecting a mental model to predict, understand and improve people's decisions. Recently, Garoui & Jarboui ( 2012 ) have defined the cognitive map as a tool aimed to view certain ideas and beliefs of an individual in a complex area. This work aims to explore a collective cognitive map to set the complex relationships between teenagers and social media influencers. For this reason, we investigate the effect of social media influencers' distinctive features on teenagers' behavior using an aggregated cognitive map.

Results and discussion

In this study, we report all measures, manipulations and exclusions.

Structural analysis and collective cognitive map

This paper uses the structural analysis method to test the relationship between the concepts and to construct a collective cognitive map. According to Godet et al. ( 2008 ), the structural analysis is “A systematic, matrix form, analysis of relations between the constituent variables of the studied system and those of its explanatory environment”. The structural analysis purpose is aimed to distinguish the key factors that identify the evolution of the system based on a matrix that determines the relationships among them (Villacorta et al., 2012 ). To deal with our problem, Micmac software allows us to treat the collected information in the form of plans and graphs in order to configure the mental representation of interviewees.

The influence × dependence chart

This work uses the factor analysis of the influence-dependence chart in which factors have categorized due to their clustered position. The influence × dependence plan depends on four categories of factors, which are the determinants variables, the result variables the relay variables, and the excluded variables. The chart has formed by four zones presented as the following (Fig.  1 ):

Influence-dependence chart, according to MICMAC method

Zone 1: Influent or determinant variables

Influent variables are located in the top left of the chart. According to Arcade et al. ( 1999 ) this category of variables represents a high influence and low dependence. These kinds of variables play and affect the dynamics of the whole system, depending on how much we can control them as key factors. The obtained results identify uniqueness, trustworthiness, and Mimetic as determinant variables. The ability of influencers’ is to provide personalized and unique content that influence Tunisian teens’ behavior. This finding is in line with Casaló et al. ( 2020 ) work. On the other hand, the results indicate that teens mimic social media influencers to feel their belonging. Such an act allows them to discover each other, and create their identity away from their parents (Cabourg & Manenti, 2017 ). The most Influential variable of the system is trustworthiness.The more trustworthiness influencers via social media are, the higher their influence on young people will be. This finding is conformed to previous studies (Giffin, 1967 ; Spry et al., 2011 ).

Zone 2: Relay variables

The intermediate or relay variables are situated at the top right of the chart. These concepts have characterized by high influence and sensitivity. They are also named “stake factors” because they are unstable. Relay variables influence the system depending on the other variables. Any effect of these factors will influence themselves and other external factors to adjust the system. In this study, most of influencers' distinctive features (persuasion, originality, and expertise) play the role of relay variables. The results indicate that the influence of persuasion affects young people's convictions, depending on other variables. The results are in line with previous studies (e.g. Perloff, 2008 ; Shen et al., 2013 ). Furthermore, the findings indicate that the more expertise social media influencers' are, the higher their influence on young people will be. The study of Ki and Kim ( 2019 ) supported our findings. Additionally, the originality of the content presented on social media attracts the audience more than the standard content. The results are in line with those of Khamis et al., ( 2017 ) and Djafarova & Rushworth ( 2017 ).

Based on the results of zone 1 and zone 2, we can sum up that Social media influencers' distinctive features tested on this work affect teenagers’ behavior. Therefore, H1 is accepted.

Zone 3: Excluded or autonomous variables

The excluded variables are positioned in the bottom left of the chart. This category of variables is characterized by a low level of influence and dependence. Such variables have no impact on the overall dynamic changes of the system because their distribution is very close to the origin. This work did not obtain this class of variables.

Zone 4: Dependent variables

The dependent variables are located at the bottom right of the chart. These variables have characterized by a low degree of influence and a high degree of dependence. These variables are less influential and highly sensitive to the rest of variables (influential and relay variables). According to our results, the dependent variables are those related to teens' behavior and cognitive biases. Social media influencers affect the identity development of teens. These findings are in line with those of Kunkel et al. ( 2004 ).The results show also that young people often identify themselves as fans of a famous influencer just to feel the belonging. These results are in line with previous studies like those of Davis ( 2012 ) and Zeng et al. ( 2017 ). Furthermore, the findings indicate that young people use more social networks’ to reinforce their self-esteem.The results confirm with those of Denti et al. ( 2012 ) and Błachnio et al. ( 2016 ).Influencers via social media play a role in digital distraction. Thus, the result found by Emerick et al. ( 2019 ) supports our findings.

Based on the results of zone 3, we can sum up that the behavior and cognitive biases of teens are affected by social media influencers. Therefore, H2 is accepted.

Collective cognitive maps

During this study, we have gathered the individuals’ matrices to create a collective cognitive mind map. The direct influence graph (Figs.  2 and 3 ) present many interesting findings. First, the high experience of influencers via social media enhances the production of original content. Furthermore, the more expertise the influencers' are, the higher their degree of persuasion on young people will be. As similar to this work, Kirmani et al. ( 2004 ) found that the influencers' experience with persuasion emerges as factors that affect customers. Beside the experience, the more an influencer provides unique and uncirculated content specific to him, the higher the originality of the content will be. Previous studies hypothesized that unique ideas are the most stringent method for producing original ideas (e.g., Wallach & Kogan,  1965 ; Wallach & Wing, 1969 ).Generally; influencers that produce different contents have a great popularity because they produce new trends. Therefore, our results indicate that young people want to be one of their fans just to feel their belonging. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the originality of content can be a source of digital distraction. Teenagers spend a lot of time on social media to keep up with new trends (e.g. Chassiakos & Stager, 2020 ).

The collective cognitive maps (25% of links)

The collective cognitive map (100% of links)

The influencers' experience and their degree of trustworthiness, besides the originality of the content, enhance their abilities to persuade adolescents. During adolescence, young people look for a model to follow. According to our results, it can be a social media influencer with a great ability to persuade.

In recent years, the increasing use of social media has enabled users to obtain a large amount of information from different sources. This evolution has affected in one way or another audience's behavior, attitudes, and decisions, especially the young people. Therefore, this study contributes to the literature in many ways. On the first hand, this paper presents the most distinctive features of social media influencers' and tests their effect on teenagers' behavior using a non-clinical sample of young Tunisians. On the other hand, this paper identifies teens' motivations for following social media influencers. This study exercises a new methodology. In fact, it uses the cognitive approach based on structural analysis. According to Benjumea-Arias et al. ( 2016 ), the aim of structural analysis is to determine the key factors of a system by identifying their dependency or influence, thus playing a role in decreasing system complexity. The present study successfully provides a collective cognitive map for a sample of Tunisian young people. This map helps to understand the impact of Facebook bloggers and Instagrammers on Tunisian teen behavior.

This study presents many important findings. First, the results find that influencers' distinctive features tested on this work affect teenagers’ behavior. In fact, influencers with a high level of honesty and sincerity prove trustworthiness among teens. This result is in line with those of Giffin ( 1967 ). Furthermore, the influencer’s ability to provide original and unique content affects the behavior of teens. These findings confirm those of Casaló et al. ( 2020 ). In addition, the ability to influence is related with the ability to persuade and expertise.

The findings related to the direct influence graph reveal that the influencers' distinctive features are interconnected. The experience, the degree of trustworthiness, and the originality of the submitted content influence the ability of an influencer to persuade among adolescents. In return, the high degree of persuasion impresses the behavior, attitudes, and decisions of teens with influences in their identity formation. The high experience and uniqueness help the influencer to make content that is more original. Young people spend more time watching original content (e.g. Chassiakos & Stager, 2020 ). Thus, the originality of content can be a source of digital distraction.

The rise in psychological problems among adolescents in Tunisia carries troubling risks. According to MICS6 Survey (2020), 18.7% of children aged 15–17 years suffer from anxiety, and 5.2% are depressed. The incidence of suicide among children (0–19 years old) was 2.07 cases per 100,000 in 2016, against 1.4 per 100,000 in 2015. Most child suicides concern 15–19-year-olds. They are in part linked to intensive use of online games, according to the general delegate of child protection. However, scientific studies rarely test the link between social media use and psychological disorders for young people in the Tunisian context. In fact, our result emphasized the important role of influencers' distinctive features and their effect on teens' behavior.

Thus, it is necessary and critical to go deeper into those factors that influence the psychological health of teens. We promote researchers to explore further this topic. They can uncover ways to help teens avoid various psychological and cognitive problems, or at least realize them and know the danger they can cause to themselves and others.

These results have many implications for different actors like researchers and experts who were interested in the psychological field.

This work suffers from some methodological and contextual limitations that call recommendations for future research. Fist, the sample size used is relatively small because of the epidemiological situation that Tunisia experienced at the time of completing this work. On the other hand, this work was limited only to study the direct relationship between variables. Therefore, we suggest expanding the questionnaire circle. We can develop this research by interviewing specialists in the psychological field. From an empirical point of view, we can go deeper into this topic by testing the indirect relationship among variables.

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Lajnef, K. The effect of social media influencers' on teenagers Behavior: an empirical study using cognitive map technique. Curr Psychol 42 , 19364–19377 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04273-1

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Students are often asked to write an essay on Influence of Social Media in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Influence of Social Media

Introduction.

Social media, a powerful tool in the modern world, affects our lives in many ways. It influences how we communicate, share information, and even shape our opinions.

Impact on Communication

Social media has revolutionized communication. It allows us to connect with people around the world, share ideas, and express ourselves freely.

Information Sharing

It has become a major source of news and information. However, it can also spread misinformation, so it’s important to verify information before believing it.

Shaping Opinions

Social media can shape our opinions. We often see posts that align with our views, which can strengthen our beliefs.

In conclusion, social media’s influence is vast and complex. It’s a tool that can be used for both good and bad. It’s important to use it responsibly.

250 Words Essay on Influence of Social Media

The ubiquity of social media.

In the digital age, social media platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives. They have transformed the way we communicate, share information, and perceive the world around us.

The Power of Connectivity

Social media’s most significant influence lies in its capacity to connect people across the globe. It has made it possible for users to interact with people they would otherwise never meet, broadening cultural understanding and fostering global connections.

Information Dissemination and Awareness

Social media has also revolutionized the spread of information. It has become a platform for raising awareness about social issues, initiating movements, and even influencing political discourse. However, this power also has its drawbacks, as misinformation and fake news can spread rapidly, leading to harmful consequences.

Impact on Mental Health

The influence of social media on mental health is another critical consideration. On one hand, it provides a sense of community and belonging. On the other hand, it can also contribute to feelings of inadequacy and depression, fueled by the constant comparison with others’ seemingly perfect lives.

The Double-Edged Sword

In conclusion, the influence of social media is a double-edged sword. It can connect, inform, and empower, but it can also mislead, isolate, and harm. As users, it is incumbent upon us to use these platforms responsibly, being mindful of their potential impacts on our lives and society at large.

500 Words Essay on Influence of Social Media

Social media has become an integral part of modern society. It has revolutionized the way we communicate, share information, and even form our perceptions of the world around us. The influence of social media is so profound that it is reshaping our social, political, and cultural landscapes.

The Social Impact of Social Media

The advent of social media platforms has significantly altered our social interactions. It has made it possible for us to connect with people across the globe, breaking down geographical barriers. However, it has also raised concerns about the quality of these interactions. The virtual nature of these platforms can lead to a lack of genuine human connection, contributing to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Moreover, social media has changed the way we perceive ourselves and others. The constant exposure to carefully curated lives can lead to negative self-comparisons and impact our mental health. Yet, it also serves as a platform for self-expression and identity formation, particularly among the younger generation.

The Political Influence of Social Media

Social media’s influence extends to the political sphere as well, reshaping political discourse and participation. It has democratized information, making it easier for individuals to engage in political discussions, voice their opinions, and mobilize for causes they believe in.

However, the same platforms can also be used to spread misinformation and propaganda, which can influence public opinion and undermine democratic processes. The recent instances of election interference and the proliferation of fake news highlight the potential dangers of political discourse on social media.

The Cultural Influence of Social Media

Culturally, social media has led to the globalization of trends and ideas. It has provided a platform for cultural exchange, allowing us to learn about and appreciate diverse cultures. However, it can also lead to cultural homogenization, as global trends often overshadow local cultures and traditions.

Moreover, social media has given rise to a new form of celebrity culture, with influencers gaining significant cultural capital. This shift in cultural values and norms has profound implications for society, affecting everything from consumer behavior to youth aspirations.

In conclusion, social media’s influence is far-reaching, affecting various aspects of our lives. While it offers numerous benefits, such as enhanced connectivity and access to information, it also presents challenges, including the spread of misinformation and potential harm to mental health. As we continue to navigate the digital age, it is crucial to critically engage with these platforms and understand their broader societal implications.

Understanding the influence of social media is not just about recognizing its impact on our individual lives, but also about acknowledging its role in shaping our collective social, political, and cultural realities. As digital citizens, we must strive to use these platforms responsibly, while also advocating for policies and practices that safeguard our societies against their potential harms.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Impact of Social Media on Youth
• Essay on Impact of Social Media on Students
• Essay on Benefits of Social Media

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Feb 15, 2023

6 Example Essays on Social Media | Advantages, Effects, and Outlines

Got an essay assignment about the effects of social media we got you covered check out our examples and outlines below.

Social media has become one of our society's most prominent ways of communication and information sharing in a very short time. It has changed how we communicate and has given us a platform to express our views and opinions and connect with others. It keeps us informed about the world around us. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn have brought individuals from all over the world together, breaking down geographical borders and fostering a genuinely global community.

However, social media comes with its difficulties. With the rise of misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy problems, it's critical to utilize these platforms properly and be aware of the risks. Students in the academic world are frequently assigned essays about the impact of social media on numerous elements of our lives, such as relationships, politics, and culture. These essays necessitate a thorough comprehension of the subject matter, critical thinking, and the ability to synthesize and convey information clearly and succinctly.

But where do you begin? It can be challenging to know where to start with so much information available. Jenni.ai comes in handy here. Jenni.ai is an AI application built exclusively for students to help them write essays more quickly and easily. Jenni.ai provides students with inspiration and assistance on how to approach their essays with its enormous database of sample essays on a variety of themes, including social media. Jenni.ai is the solution you've been looking for if you're experiencing writer's block or need assistance getting started.

So, whether you're a student looking to better your essay writing skills or want to remain up to date on the latest social media advancements, Jenni.ai is here to help. Jenni.ai is the ideal tool for helping you write your finest essay ever, thanks to its simple design, an extensive database of example essays, and cutting-edge AI technology. So, why delay? Sign up for a free trial of Jenni.ai today and begin exploring the worlds of social networking and essay writing!

Want to learn how to write an argumentative essay? Check out these inspiring examples!

We will provide various examples of social media essays so you may get a feel for the genre.

6 Examples of Social Media Essays

Here are 6 examples of Social Media Essays:

The Impact of Social Media on Relationships and Communication

Introduction:.

The way we share information and build relationships has evolved as a direct result of the prevalence of social media in our daily lives. The influence of social media on interpersonal connections and conversation is a hot topic. Although social media has many positive effects, such as bringing people together regardless of physical proximity and making communication quicker and more accessible, it also has a dark side that can affect interpersonal connections and dialogue.

Positive Effects:

Connecting People Across Distances

One of social media's most significant benefits is its ability to connect individuals across long distances. People can use social media platforms to interact and stay in touch with friends and family far away. People can now maintain intimate relationships with those they care about, even when physically separated.

Improved Communication Speed and Efficiency

Additionally, the proliferation of social media sites has accelerated and simplified communication. Thanks to instant messaging, users can have short, timely conversations rather than lengthy ones via email. Furthermore, social media facilitates group communication, such as with classmates or employees, by providing a unified forum for such activities.

Negative Effects:

Decreased Face-to-Face Communication

The decline in in-person interaction is one of social media's most pernicious consequences on interpersonal connections and dialogue. People's reliance on digital communication over in-person contact has increased along with the popularity of social media. Face-to-face interaction has suffered as a result, which has adverse effects on interpersonal relationships and the development of social skills.

Decreased Emotional Intimacy

Another adverse effect of social media on relationships and communication is decreased emotional intimacy. Digital communication lacks the nonverbal cues and facial expressions critical in building emotional connections with others. This can make it more difficult for people to develop close and meaningful relationships, leading to increased loneliness and isolation.

Increased Conflict and Miscommunication

Finally, social media can also lead to increased conflict and miscommunication. The anonymity and distance provided by digital communication can lead to misunderstandings and hurtful comments that might not have been made face-to-face. Additionally, social media can provide a platform for cyberbullying , which can have severe consequences for the victim's mental health and well-being.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the impact of social media on relationships and communication is a complex issue with both positive and negative effects. While social media platforms offer many benefits, such as connecting people across distances and enabling faster and more accessible communication, they also have a dark side that can negatively affect relationships and communication. It is up to individuals to use social media responsibly and to prioritize in-person communication in their relationships and interactions with others.

The Role of Social Media in the Spread of Misinformation and Fake News

Social media has revolutionized the way information is shared and disseminated. However, the ease and speed at which data can be spread on social media also make it a powerful tool for spreading misinformation and fake news. Misinformation and fake news can seriously affect public opinion, influence political decisions, and even cause harm to individuals and communities.

The Pervasiveness of Misinformation and Fake News on Social Media

Misinformation and fake news are prevalent on social media platforms, where they can spread quickly and reach a large audience. This is partly due to the way social media algorithms work, which prioritizes content likely to generate engagement, such as sensational or controversial stories. As a result, false information can spread rapidly and be widely shared before it is fact-checked or debunked.

The Influence of Social Media on Public Opinion

Social media can significantly impact public opinion, as people are likelier to believe the information they see shared by their friends and followers. This can lead to a self-reinforcing cycle, where misinformation and fake news are spread and reinforced, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.

The Challenge of Correcting Misinformation and Fake News

Correcting misinformation and fake news on social media can be a challenging task. This is partly due to the speed at which false information can spread and the difficulty of reaching the same audience exposed to the wrong information in the first place. Additionally, some individuals may be resistant to accepting correction, primarily if the incorrect information supports their beliefs or biases.

In conclusion, the function of social media in disseminating misinformation and fake news is complex and urgent. While social media has revolutionized the sharing of information, it has also made it simpler for false information to propagate and be widely believed. Individuals must be accountable for the information they share and consume, and social media firms must take measures to prevent the spread of disinformation and fake news on their platforms.

The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health and Well-Being

Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of people around the world using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay connected with others and access information. However, while social media has many benefits, it can also negatively affect mental health and well-being.

Comparison and Low Self-Esteem

One of the key ways that social media can affect mental health is by promoting feelings of comparison and low self-esteem. People often present a curated version of their lives on social media, highlighting their successes and hiding their struggles. This can lead others to compare themselves unfavorably, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

Another way that social media can negatively impact mental health is through cyberbullying and online harassment. Social media provides a platform for anonymous individuals to harass and abuse others, leading to feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression.

Social Isolation

Despite its name, social media can also contribute to feelings of isolation. At the same time, people may have many online friends but need more meaningful in-person connections and support. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.

Addiction and Overuse

Finally, social media can be addictive, leading to overuse and negatively impacting mental health and well-being. People may spend hours each day scrolling through their feeds, neglecting other important areas of their lives, such as work, family, and self-care.

In sum, social media has positive and negative consequences on one's psychological and emotional well-being. Realizing this, and taking measures like reducing one's social media use, reaching out to loved ones for help, and prioritizing one's well-being, are crucial. In addition, it's vital that social media giants take ownership of their platforms and actively encourage excellent mental health and well-being.

The Use of Social Media in Political Activism and Social Movements

Social media has recently become increasingly crucial in political action and social movements. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have given people new ways to express themselves, organize protests, and raise awareness about social and political issues.

Raising Awareness and Mobilizing Action

One of the most important uses of social media in political activity and social movements has been to raise awareness about important issues and mobilize action. Hashtags such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, for example, have brought attention to sexual harassment and racial injustice, respectively. Similarly, social media has been used to organize protests and other political actions, allowing people to band together and express themselves on a bigger scale.

Connecting with like-minded individuals

A second method in that social media has been utilized in political activity and social movements is to unite like-minded individuals. Through social media, individuals can join online groups, share knowledge and resources, and work with others to accomplish shared objectives. This has been especially significant for geographically scattered individuals or those without access to traditional means of political organizing.

Challenges and Limitations

As a vehicle for political action and social movements, social media has faced many obstacles and restrictions despite its many advantages. For instance, the propagation of misinformation and fake news on social media can impede attempts to disseminate accurate and reliable information. In addition, social media corporations have been condemned for censorship and insufficient protection of user rights.

In conclusion, social media has emerged as a potent instrument for political activism and social movements, giving voice to previously unheard communities and galvanizing support for change. Social media presents many opportunities for communication and collaboration. Still, users and institutions must be conscious of the risks and limitations of these tools to promote their responsible and productive usage.

The Potential Privacy Concerns Raised by Social Media Use and Data Collection Practices

With billions of users each day on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, social media has ingrained itself into every aspect of our lives. While these platforms offer a straightforward method to communicate with others and exchange information, they also raise significant concerns over data collecting and privacy. This article will examine the possible privacy issues posed by social media use and data-gathering techniques.

Data Collection and Sharing

The gathering and sharing of personal data are significant privacy issues brought up by social media use. Social networking sites gather user data, including details about their relationships, hobbies, and routines. This information is made available to third-party businesses for various uses, such as marketing and advertising. This can lead to serious concerns about who has access to and uses our personal information.

Lack of Control Over Personal Information

The absence of user control over personal information is a significant privacy issue brought up by social media usage. Social media makes it challenging to limit who has access to and how data is utilized once it has been posted. Sensitive information may end up being extensively disseminated and may be used maliciously as a result.

Personalized Marketing

Social media companies utilize the information they gather about users to target them with adverts relevant to their interests and usage patterns. Although this could be useful, it might also cause consumers to worry about their privacy since they might feel that their personal information is being used without their permission. Furthermore, there are issues with the integrity of the data being used to target users and the possibility of prejudice based on individual traits.

Government Surveillance

Using social media might spark worries about government surveillance. There are significant concerns regarding privacy and free expression when governments in some nations utilize social media platforms to follow and monitor residents.

In conclusion, social media use raises significant concerns regarding data collecting and privacy. While these platforms make it easy to interact with people and exchange information, they also gather a lot of personal information, which raises questions about who may access it and how it will be used. Users should be aware of these privacy issues and take precautions to safeguard their personal information, such as exercising caution when choosing what details to disclose on social media and keeping their information sharing with other firms to a minimum.

The Ethical and Privacy Concerns Surrounding Social Media Use And Data Collection

Our use of social media to communicate with loved ones, acquire information, and even conduct business has become a crucial part of our everyday lives. The extensive use of social media does, however, raise some ethical and privacy issues that must be resolved. The influence of social media use and data collecting on user rights, the accountability of social media businesses, and the need for improved regulation are all topics that will be covered in this article.

Effect on Individual Privacy:

Social networking sites gather tons of personal data from their users, including delicate information like search history, location data, and even health data. Each user's detailed profile may be created with this data and sold to advertising or used for other reasons. Concerns regarding the privacy of personal information might arise because social media businesses can use this data to target users with customized adverts.

Additionally, individuals might need to know how much their personal information is being gathered and exploited. Data breaches or the unauthorized sharing of personal information with other parties may result in instances where sensitive information is exposed. Users should be aware of the privacy rules of social media firms and take precautions to secure their data.

Responsibility of Social Media Companies:

Social media firms should ensure that they responsibly and ethically gather and use user information. This entails establishing strong security measures to safeguard sensitive information and ensuring users are informed of what information is being collected and how it is used.

Many social media businesses, nevertheless, have come under fire for not upholding these obligations. For instance, the Cambridge Analytica incident highlighted how Facebook users' personal information was exploited for political objectives without their knowledge. This demonstrates the necessity of social media corporations being held responsible for their deeds and ensuring that they are safeguarding the security and privacy of their users.

Better Regulation Is Needed

There is a need for tighter regulation in this field, given the effect, social media has on individual privacy as well as the obligations of social media firms. The creation of laws and regulations that ensure social media companies are gathering and using user information ethically and responsibly, as well as making sure users are aware of their rights and have the ability to control the information that is being collected about them, are all part of this.

Additionally, legislation should ensure that social media businesses are held responsible for their behavior, for example, by levying fines for data breaches or the unauthorized use of personal data. This will provide social media businesses with a significant incentive to prioritize their users' privacy and security and ensure they are upholding their obligations.

In conclusion, social media has fundamentally changed how we engage and communicate with one another, but this increased convenience also raises several ethical and privacy issues. Essential concerns that need to be addressed include the effect of social media on individual privacy, the accountability of social media businesses, and the requirement for greater regulation to safeguard user rights. We can make everyone's online experience safer and more secure by looking more closely at these issues.

In conclusion, social media is a complex and multifaceted topic that has recently captured the world's attention. With its ever-growing influence on our lives, it's no surprise that it has become a popular subject for students to explore in their writing. Whether you are writing an argumentative essay on the impact of social media on privacy, a persuasive essay on the role of social media in politics, or a descriptive essay on the changes social media has brought to the way we communicate, there are countless angles to approach this subject.

However, writing a comprehensive and well-researched essay on social media can be daunting. It requires a thorough understanding of the topic and the ability to articulate your ideas clearly and concisely. This is where Jenni.ai comes in. Our AI-powered tool is designed to help students like you save time and energy and focus on what truly matters - your education. With Jenni.ai , you'll have access to a wealth of examples and receive personalized writing suggestions and feedback.

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The Role of Social Media Influencers in the Lives of Children and Adolescents

Original Research 17 March 2020 Testing the Effectiveness of a Disclosure in Activating Children’s Advertising Literacy in the Context of Embedded Advertising in Vlogs Rhianne W. Hoek ,  3 more  and  Moniek Buijzen 8,312 views 20 citations

Original Research 22 January 2020 Picture Me Drinking: Alcohol-Related Posts by Instagram Influencers Popular Among Adolescents and Young Adults Hanneke Hendriks ,  2 more  and  Winifred A. Gebhardt 36,572 views 62 citations

Loading... Original Research 21 January 2020 Disclosing Influencer Marketing on YouTube to Children: The Moderating Role of Para-Social Relationship Sophie C. Boerman  and  Eva A. van Reijmersdal 53,694 views 106 citations

Brief Research Report 10 January 2020 The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Children’s Dietary Behaviors Crystal R. Smit ,  3 more  and  Moniek Buijzen 72,220 views 46 citations

Clinical Trial 10 January 2020 Testing a Social Network Intervention Using Vlogs to Promote Physical Activity Among Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial Thabo J. Van Woudenberg ,  4 more  and  Moniek Buijzen 7,475 views 23 citations

Original Research 19 December 2019 Urban Influencers: An Analysis of Urban Identity in YouTube Content of Local Social Media Influencers in a Super-Diverse City Anne K. van Eldik ,  2 more  and  Jeroen Jansz 17,478 views 21 citations

Original Research 17 December 2019 Tweens’ Wishful Identification and Parasocial Relationships With YouTubers Amanda N. Tolbert  and  Kristin L. Drogos 37,962 views 54 citations

Original Research 06 December 2019 Toward an Understanding of Parental Views and Actions on Social Media Influencers Targeted at Adolescents: The Roles of Parents’ Social Media Use and Empowerment Meng-Hsien Lin ,  1 more  and  Russell Laczniak 46,022 views 31 citations

Loading... Review 03 December 2019 What Is Influencer Marketing and How Does It Target Children? A Review and Direction for Future Research Marijke De Veirman ,  1 more  and  Michelle R. Nelson 169,530 views 171 citations

Original Research 22 November 2019 What Do Adolescents See on Social Media? A Diary Study of Food Marketing Images on Social Media Yara Qutteina ,  3 more  and  Tim Smits 37,020 views 85 citations

Loading... Original Research 15 November 2019 Fancying the New Rich and Famous? Explicating the Roles of Influencer Content, Credibility, and Parental Mediation in Adolescents’ Parasocial Relationship, Materialism, and Purchase Intentions Chen Lou  and  Hye Kyung Kim 64,076 views 135 citations

Original Research 20 September 2019 Food and Beverage Cues Featured in YouTube Videos of Social Media Influencers Popular With Children: An Exploratory Study Anna E. Coates ,  3 more  and  Emma J. Boyland 38,027 views 84 citations

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Student Opinion

Should Kids Be Social Media Influencers?

By Jeremy Engle

• March 8, 2019

Do you follow any social media influencers? If yes, why?

(Influencers are individuals, famous or not, with large followings. You can check out some of the most popular here .)

Would you want to be an influencer? Would you be willing to promote and market products on your social media feed if it meant earning lots of money?

In “ Online and Making Thousands, at Age 4: Meet the Kidfluencers ,” Sapna Maheshwari writes:

Samia was an influencer before she could talk. Her parents, Adam and LaToya Ali, are influencers themselves and began chronicling Samia’s impending arrival on YouTube and Instagram in 2014, once Ms. Ali learned she was pregnant. “Samia’s birth video is on YouTube, so she’s pretty much been born into social media,” Mr. Ali said. Samia is now 4 and has 143,000 followers on Instagram and 203,000 subscribers on YouTube. Her feeds are mostly populated with posts of her posing and playing, but they also feature paid promotions for brands like Crayola and HomeStyle Harvest chicken nuggets. There are instances when “Samia can’t verbatim get the message out,” Mr. Ali, who lives in the Atlanta area, said of the promotional posts. “Sometimes, their talking points are not kid talk, so LaToya would need to appear, or myself, to relay those because those are key deliverables that the brands want.” Welcome to the world of kidfluencers. Brands have flocked to influencers — individuals, famous or not, with large followings on social media — for years, hoping their online popularity will prompt their fans to buy the products they vouch for. Then child influencers started appearing on their parents’ profiles, a surreal but seemingly harmless offshoot of this phenomenon. Now, advertisers like Walmart , Staples and Mattel are bankrolling lucrative endorsements deals for toddlers and tweens with large followings and their own verified profiles on YouTube and Instagram. As a result, children too young to make their own accounts on the platforms are being turned into tastemakers.

The article describes how much money can be made as an influencer:

That can mean big money for the families of kidfluencers. Kyler Fisher, the father of 2-year-old identical twins who have more than two million followers on Instagram, said a sponsored post on the girls’ account could fetch between $10,000 and $20,000. The twins, Taytum and Oakley, have promoted car seats and Carnival Cruise Lines on Instagram. They are also central to the success of their parents’ YouTube channel, Kyler & Mad, which has about three million subscribers. Promotions on the family YouTube channel can draw $25,000 to $50,000. Fans are so interested in the family that their third child, due the first week of March, already has 112,000 Instagram followers. “My kids complete the package, man,” Mr. Fisher said. “If we didn’t have the girls, I can’t imagine being as far as we are.”

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

— What is your reaction to the article? Should children be social media influencers? Why or why not? What age is or isn’t appropriate?

— Do you follow any influencers? If yes, do they promote products on their social media feeds?

— Would you want to be a paid influencer? Why or why not? Do you think your parents would let you?

— Should parents allow their children to be child influencers? Would you let a younger sibling or your own children be paid influencers?

— The article describes the problems in regulating the phenomenon of child influencers:

Children’s television, overseen by the Federal Communications Commission, has rules that separate ads from content and limit product placement and promotions by a program’s host or characters. The internet doesn’t. YouTube has its own guidelines for children’s advertising, but they are often hard to police. For example, the YouTube Kids app, designed for children 12 and under, is not supposed to contain sponsored content, but The New York Times found several paid advertorial videos from influencers there for companies like Walmart, DreamWorks and Claire’s.

Should advertisers and brands be able to use young people as influencers on social media? Should companies like Instagram and YouTube revise their policies on advertising and children? Should there be more regulations for the internet and social media to protect children?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

The Influencers Are Not Alright

And honestly? If you’re watching their content 24/7, neither are you.

New York was Paris’s aesthetic. Her aesthetic made her money. She left anyway.

For Paris, the benefits she gained from documenting her lifestyle online (from her signature #HotGirlsSweat workout routine to cosmetic procedures like lip tattooing and liposuction on her chin) came with serious consequences too. During her rise to New-York fame, she faced repeated personal space violations and stalking , leading to intense anxiety and paranoia. The dreamy life she shared (and sold) wasn’t as idyllic as it seemed.

“I would hear somebody scream my name multiple times at the top of their lungs, and then they’d run across traffic and physically grab me,” she says. Now, “I hear somebody say my name and I flinch.” One of Paris’s worst encounters was when a group of girls stood outside her apartment building, blocking the entrance and screaming her name as she tried to pass by. She realized—for the sake of her mental health and creative spirit—that she couldn’t stay in the city and moved to a less populated area of Los Angeles County.

“I just want privacy for the first time in years,” Paris says. “I have really bad paranoia , which I have struggled with my whole life, that has exploded under influencing. My brain just doesn’t operate anymore. It operates with the fear of the future.” She hopes proximity to nature and a more relaxed California lifestyle will help her heal.

Still, a cross-country move won’t protect Paris from nasty comments on her posts, Reddit threads dedicated to picking her apart, trauma-dumping from followers in her DMs, and the potential for privacy issues in the future. “The Internet is so emotionally volatile that,” after being dragged through the extreme highs and lows on a daily basis, “I wake up feeling zero,” she says.

And while Paris is certainly a well-known presence on social media, she isn’t alone in feeling anxious, unsafe, or even ambivalent about her influence—which is what leads some to leave the online-content-creation space altogether, even if temporarily.

Take Christian Vierling , 25, who knew he had to go offline when he couldn’t make a TikTok without drinking first. Vierling, a comedy content creator, garnered an audience of more than 1 million followers on TikTok over the past two years—and his videos largely centered on snarky, drunken antics that made viewers laugh during a time of deep cultural sadness. (Read: the pandemic.)

While Vierling, with his charming model-esque looks and infectious personality, was bringing joy and laughter to those around him through his digital hijinks—like filming himself getting hammered alone at a Korean barbecue restaurant or chugging draft beers at the airport—it turns out he was struggling. “Alcohol problems were a part of my brand for a long time,” Vierling says. “I noticed that having drinks in my videos made me more relatable,” he says, or that when he was drunk, he could push himself to say something “a little crazier” than when he wasn’t. His online persona was that of this “carefree, goofy guy with a little bit of a drinking problem ,” Vierling says. Followers ate it up.

“It was fun making the videos with alcohol—until it wasn’t,” Vierling says. “When I’m drinking, I’m not a happy person. I was angry that I couldn’t get myself out of that drinking stage, couldn’t take myself away from it. The only coping mechanism I had was to drink more.” But it makes sense that he was struggling to stop. Whereas most people’s job performance might suffer because of over-drinking, Vierling’s visible alcoholism was driving his success.

The fact that unhealthy behaviors can boost metrics is a common issue when it comes to influencing. For Grace Atwood , 41, who has been working in the influencing space for 13 years, it’s being unable to step away from work. “We can’t take breaks” or our numbers drop, Atwood says, explaining that when she stops posting for the weekend she’ll notice a 30 to 40 percent decline in Instagram story views. (A representative for Meta responded to this claim by pointing out their Recommendation Guidelines and their Creators’ Guide as ways to help influencers learn more about how the algorithm works.) Any drop in engagement is a big problem when you make the bulk of your income from your social media account. For influencers, taking the weekend off from work often means returning to do the same job on Monday for lower pay.

Despite being a veteran in the industry, Atwood says she hasn’t been able to separate her mood from the highs and lows of her account’s performance. “Instagram really messes with my mental health,” she says.

We know that too much time on social media depletes mental health. Yet influencing, as a career or side gig, still has a halo around it.

“The work of being an influencer is extremely fraught,” says Emily Hund , PhD, a researcher at the Center on Digital Culture and Society at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication. Hund studies influencer culture and has interviewed many people in the business. “Everyone I’ve spoken with has reported some kind of mental toll,” she says. And while job stress certainly isn’t unique, the kind that influencers face is particularly vitriolic (violent threats and verbal cruelty from followers) and targets their personal identity.

“People in your comments will talk about you like they’re not in your house. They’ll be like, ‘Who is this bitch? She sucks and thinks she’s so funny.’ When I see that on my phone I start spiraling because I’m like, that’s really who I am, that’s really me,” says Estefania Pessoa , 31, an influencer better known by her username, Tefi, on various social media platforms.

Tefi has amassed over 1 million followers on her many accounts thanks to her pop-culture hot takes. But even as someone in the business of sharing her opinion online, Tefi reached the point where she’d just about had enough—the social media feedback loop was making her depression much worse. She needed a break, and she’s taken one indefinitely, handing her channels off to her team so she can continue posting while also not being active on the Internet herself. “I feel guilty about it,” she says, even after the near-constant influx of hate comments which led to her programming pause in the first place. “I’ve heard about people getting to this point before, and I’ve been like, ‘Oh, that’s so dramatic.’ And then that was me. No money in the world is worth me looking in the mirror and thinking, You’re so terrible ,” she says.

Percentage of Gen Z and Millennials who say they would post sponsored content for money

Source: Morning Consult

Despite these pitfalls, being an influencer is still a highly sought-after job. Around 86 percent of Gen Z and Millennials say they would post sponsored content for money, and 54 percent would become an influencer if given the opportunity, according to a report from research firm Morning Consult . For many, creating content feels like an appealing way to achieve financial freedom in an increasingly online world. Plus, it’s a way to make money from something they’re already doing: spending time on social media. Not to mention, in the beginning, it’s often fun and can be profitable: The influencer endorsement market more than doubled from 2019 to 2021, growing from $6.5 billion to $13.8 billion, according to data from Statista .

That said, the effects of online abuse, lack of regulation and privacy, and financial instability on creators themselves has gone mostly unstudied on a large scale since influencing’s inception. Most of the little research that does exist is done from a marketing perspective, says Olivia Reed , a PhD candidate and an instructor at Pennsylvania State University, whose work centers on the influencing space.

What we do know (albeit anecdotally) is this: Constantly churning out fresh digital material for mass consumption, often by sharing intimate details of one’s life, “definitely wears on people,” Hund says. Sometimes, the burden can exacerbate creators’ preexisting issues—like Paris’s paranoia—forcing them to step away or drastically modify their lives. And ironically, many of these influencers promote a healthy lifestyle, though in its current state, influencing itself is not a mental health-promoting activity.

If this all sounds a little woe-is-me, hear these mental health and social media experts out. Influencing is an increasingly problematic industry—for both the influencers and the people who consume their content (might be you!). It’s not that influencing is all bad—it can certainly be used for good, with followers finding connection, inspiration, and moments of relief and laughter throughout the day when they tune into their favorite creators. But those bits of positivity don’t negate the negative health effects of creating and consuming content, and that side of influencing has little transparency. It’s worth understanding the issue and how you can protect yourself from it, whether you’re trying to build a brand yourself or just enjoying your daily scroll.

Influencing can be addictive, making it difficult for those in the industry to leave when their health declines.

Mikayla Nogueira , 24, hadn’t taken more than five days off in over two years until the end of September, when she uploaded a video to TikTok about stepping away for her mental health, and only returned to the platform after two months without posting. One of the most successful beauty influencers on TikTok, with over 13.6 million followers, Nogueira receives multiple millions of views on nearly every video she posts, and has earned deals and collaborations with just about every major beauty brand. With the income from her influencing career, she bought a house.

Despite her undeniable Internet prosperity, Nogueira has spoken openly about the way her self-worth, body image, and depression have suffered from being online. “There’s so much pressure to perform. It’s a competition with yourself, and it’s toxic and damaging,” she says. This competition is characterized by the need to one-up yourself—to make each piece of content more successful than the last, Nogueira says. “It really is an addiction.”

Pessoa shared a similar sentiment: “It’s not fair to give you 5 million views in one day, and then for the rest of the year, you’re putting out all this content, trying as hard as you can to do that again. You’re really tap dancing for this algorithm. And you get nothing,” Pessoa says.

Experts agree that influencing can be psychologically addictive. “From a neurological standpoint, you’re constantly getting these intermittent hits of dopamine,” says Jaime Zuckerman , PhD, a clinical psychologist based in Pennsylvania. “It’s like a drug.” When influencers aren’t using social media, they’re (probably) experiencing dopamine withdrawal after being online for hours at a time. This puts them at an even higher risk for anxiety and depression than those who don’t make a living on the Internet, who can also fall victim to the dopamine rush of social media, Zuckerman says. Add money and fame into the mix and the combination becomes particularly harmful.

“Lately I’m having issues separating the real world and the Internet world. It’s like they’re kind of merging together, and all I have is the Internet world, and that’s kind of terrifying.” Nogueira says.

Social media companies incentivize content creators to live online, without offering much in return.

“There’s a sense among influencers I’ve studied that there are diminishing returns for this labor,” Hund says. “They’re paid by brands, not by the social media companies for whom they’re creating so much value. There’s a gross power imbalance,” Hund says. Influencers drive traffic to social companies and brands without being offered a stake in the businesses themselves, or any benefits or protections, which means many of them live in fear of algorithm changes, or the sudden deletion of their account—something that’s often totally out of their control.

It’s not that all influencers want to be employed by TikTok or Instagram in the traditional sense, per se, but having no protections from the companies they make money for—like brand deal payment standards, health insurance access, more algorithm change transparency, and the like—can lead to anxiety and insecurity when it comes to future financial stability.

This dynamic is especially troubling for Black and brown influencers, many of whom face disproportionate challenges in comparison with other creators. “It feels like a toxic work environment,” says Ziggi Tyler , 24, a Black and queer content creator with over 700,000 TikTok followers. “You’re sorting through your Instagram requests, and it’s 95 messages of people just wishing they could kill you.” Tyler has spoken out at length about the hate speech Black and brown influencers endure online and the lack of support they are getting in fighting this issue. “People have told me they want to lynch me,” Tyler says. “Somebody sent me a screenshot of an old house I lived in years ago. And this has given me this perpetual feeling of being on edge all the time. Like I’m always being watched.”

Tyler has also brought attention to the pay discrepancies between himself and white creators, which also impact mental health. Nearly half of all Black influencers report that their race contributed to a brand deal offer below market value, according to a study by MSL Group and The Influencer League . There’s also a roughly 29 percent brand deal pay gap between white and BIPOC influencers, and that number expands to 35 percent when you look at just white and Black creators. “We’re literally selling our bodies and our image, and we’re not even getting paid. That does take a toll on you,” Tyler says.

While influencers themselves are struggling, their audiences aren’t doing much better.

Even if you, “as a very informed, alert person, go on social media, and know factually that you’re not seeing every aspect of an influencer’s life, it’s not how you process that information,” says Jessica Gall Myrick , PhD, a professor studying media’s effects on emotions at Pennsylvania State University Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. “Your mind forms a picture of that person as being a certain way, although you know that they choose what to post and can edit that very carefully. The image of that person you have stored in your mind is basically the one they’ve created.”

Essentially, being mindful that social media isn’t “real life” is not easy in practice, and it doesn’t always protect you from negative mental health effects. Myrick compares it to when you’re watching a scary movie: Even though you know it’s fake, you often still react emotionally because you’re lost in the plot. And if we like the plot presented by the people we watch online, we become quite attached to it. “We’re partially transported into the story of their lives that they’re building very carefully,” says Myrick. “Because we’ve been following along, we don’t stop to think about what else is going on or what they’re not showing us,” she says. It would simply be too exhausting to consider this about each person we follow.

And while many influencers think about pulling back the curtain, there’s pressure to hide their struggle because it’s not on-brand or good for selling products. The dissonance between the Internet and reality is painful for everyone and pushes influencers to mask serious health issues while promoting lifestyles that aren’t sustainable for anyone, like Vierling’s drinking habits. Luckily, he found his way out of the downward spiral.

When Vierling’s depression and substance abuse reached a breaking point, he got honest about his condition and admitted himself into a rehabilitation center for alcoholism. He decided to take an over-three-month hiatus from TikTok while he dealt with his recovery, and he didn’t tell his followers why or where he’d gone. Then, after months of complete silence, he returned to the app with a video entitled “Where I’ve Been.” It’s not uncommon for social media stars to disappear and reappear in this way, often unintentionally taking their fan base on an emotional rollercoaster with them.

In his return video, Vierling speaks directly to the camera, addressing his followers and detailing his problematic relationship with alcohol, how he got help , and what he’ll be doing with his platform moving forward: making people laugh while staying sober. Moved to tears, Vierling also spoke on how he felt guilty about promoting or making light of his lifestyle even though “addiction is not a joke.”

Finding ways to deal with the pressures that social media brings forth is an ever-present task for influencers who stay in the game, like Julia Dzafic , 37, an influencer of 12 years with over 125,000 Instagram followers. “I wish I could say that I don’t fall into the comparison trap, but I do,” Dzafic says, who struggles with anxiety. Despite the negative effect it can have on future job performance, Dzafic says “there’s no other answer for me besides getting offline.” A mother of two, she says it’s imperative that she sets time away from her phone every morning and at night so she can separate social media from home life—or, in other words, from reality.

Dzafic also works with a therapist who gives her regular reminders that social media isn’t who she really is but rather, the very limited pieces of her personality she displays online. This makes it easier when facing online vitriol or analytic low points. “They’re criticizing the person they see, not your entire personhood,” Dzafic says.

All in all, social media, and brands’ propensity to use it as a marketing tool, is only growing, but experts and influencers agree: There must be a better, healthier way for this industry and influencers to operate. At the very least, there has to be more honesty about what a career online really looks like, and the damage that influencing can cause to creators and consumers alike.

A Safer Scroll

How you can work toward a healthier existence in the online world.

►Start with an audit

Examine your relationships with the apps. “It’s hard because our livelihoods and personal relationships are often tied up in these platforms,” Hund says. “But you need to find ways to disengage when you can,” she says, especially if you’re finding that the presence you have online is seriously impacting your health.

►Set your limits

You know that time spent on social media can impact your mental well-being. So set a timer on your phone for the number of minutes (or, if you must, hours) per day that you can spend on social media—and stick to it, Zuckerman says. Employ an accountability partner to help you. Invest your time in other boredom-fighting activities such as reading, painting, working out , exploring nature .

►Remember that everything is an advertisement

You wouldn’t watch television commercials as if they were real life, and you should treat social media consumption the same way. With each post you scroll by, do the best you can to remind yourself of the difference between reality and non-reality, Zuckerman says.

Madeline Howard is a writer, editor, and creative based in Brooklyn. Her work has been published in Esquire , Nylon , Cosmopolitan , and other publications. Among other things, she was formerly an editor at Women’s Health . Subscribe to her newsletter ‘hey howie’ at madelinehoward.substack.com .  

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Explaining Social Media and Its Influences Essay

The influence of social media has grown exponentially over the past couple of decades, becoming an integral part of every person’s life. The phenomenon of social media has been the subject of multiple studies, including the one conducted by Fuchs (2017). Although Fuchs’ (2017) definition and explanation of social media are restricted to the socioeconomic perspective, the offered definition incorporates the nuances of information management in a digital context.

The definition that Fuchs offers for social media is quite nebulous, which is fully justified by the multifaceted nature of the subject matter. According to Fuchs, the definition of social media hinges on the perception of the very concept of the social. Harkening the specified idea back to Durkheim, Weber, and Tönnies, Fuchs (2017) explains that social media incorporates the notions of a social action, cooperative effort, and community.

Since the notion of social media is exceptionally difficult to describe, it requires a complex model that could shed light on its nature. For this purpose, Fuchs (2017) suggests the use of the model for social media communication that he defines as a model of social integration that is shaped by the consumer culture. In other words, Fuchs (2017) introduces the model for social media communication as the framework for interpreting behaviors observed in users online during communication. The specified model is crucial for examining how communication is shaped by digital factors such as immediate response opportunities, anonymity, and the related issues.

Although the proposed model is quite easy to understand and use, it also seems to be excessively generic. As a result, it may not represent the experiences of each individual in online communication accurately. For example, my personal online interactions have been devoid of what Fuchs referred to as the “big data divide,” possibly due to the restricted range of topics for my online discussions. However, overall, Fuchs’ model is quite representative of average online interactions.

Fuchs, C. (2017). Social media: A critical introduction (2nd ed.). SAGE.

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Bibliography

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'This is garbage': Step aside, influencers — we're now in the era of de-influencing

Brianna Scott

Some TikTok creators have embraced the de-influencer movement, like Diana Wiebe, seen in a screenshot here, who goes by the TikTok handle @depressiondotgov and critiques social media influencing. NPR hide caption

In the early days of the pandemic, Diana Wiebe spent a lot of time scrolling through Instagram and TikTok — and she started to notice something.

"I got influenced mostly by skin care stuff," she recalls. "I'd watch an influencer, and I'd be like, 'OK, yeah. This worked for them. I trust their opinion. Add to cart.'"

After a while, Wiebe began to realize just how much money she was spending on stuff she saw being pushed on social media. That's when she knew things had to change.

The Indicator from Planet Money

The origins of the influencer industry.

Social media influencers aren't new. But over the last few years, another trend has emerged: de -influencing. What started as a backlash to advertising could now have a surprising and real-world impact on the environment.

A rejection of influencer culture

The world of influencing is pretty simple.

Companies from the likes of Airbnb to Amazon to Louis Vuitton pay people with a lot of followers on social media to promote their products. These creators then make content, typically videos, where they recommend the products and services, often adding a discount code their followers can use to sweeten the deal.

"They do it kind of more in the guise of being your friend or being relatable," Wiebe said.

It has evolved over time and can now include things like the "come shopping with me" trend that emulates the feeling of casually shopping with a friend. The influencers film themselves walking around stores and filling their carts with clothing, makeup, cute little bowls for your ramen noodles and, of course, Stanley cups.

"They film their hands, and they throw stuff kind of willy-nilly in the cart," Wiebe said. "I just kept saying stuff like ... 'This is garbage. Like, why is this person buying this?'"

So Wiebe began to post her own videos on TikTok. Her videos don't influence; rather, they seek to de-influence. And she is one of many who have found a foothold in the last few years as the #deinfluencing hashtag on TikTok has racked up more than 1.5 billion views.

@depressiondotgov Replying to @awhducks im happy to be of service ❤️ #garbage #targethaul #deinfluencing #overconsumption #targetshopping #targetchristmasdecor #christmashaul ♬ original sound - DepressionDotGov

@isofbelle Replying to @Tempest 🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇺🇦🍉 a lot of people have great opinions but some …. #deinfluencing #deinfluencingtravel #travelessentials #travelessentialsfromamazon ♬ original sound - Isabelle L ✈️🌈

De-influencing encourages people to buy less stuff and instead use what they already have.

"Initially I saw the trend as something that was kind of like a response to the fatigue of influencing, of this constant messaging of buy, buy, buy," said content creator Christina Mychaskiw.

Mychaskiw defines herself as a former shopaholic who at one point had more than $120,000 in student loan debt. Even before the term "de-influencing" trended on TikTok, she was making videos about mindful spending and consumerist culture.

@christina.mychas Things i NEVER do as a former shopaholic. I had a pretty toxic relationship with my money, my stuff and myself for a long time. After i committed to getting out of debt and changing my relationship with my shopping habits in 2018, these are some of the things i had to learn to change and that i stopped doing. #shopaholic #shoppingaddiction #mindfulspending #debtfreejourney #debtfreelife #intentionalliving #minimalistish ♬ original sound - Christina

Mychaskiw said that when she was younger, she watched videos that normalized overconsumption — videos like shopping hauls , where people show off what they have bought, sometimes dozens of pieces at once.

"I think when you watch those things over and over again and you continuously see people being like, 'Oh, I just picked this up and I bought this,' and the quantities that people bought ... it kind of gives you this license to feel like, 'Oh, I can do that too,'" she said.

"It was sort of a refreshing take to see, 'Hey, this thing didn't change my life. This thing didn't work the way it was supposed to. It didn't live up to the hype. Save your money.'"

The feeling of de-influencing is refreshing for many. NPR asked readers about their relationship with social media and heard from dozens of people who relayed being fed up with constant advertising on social media, feeling buyer's remorse after following an influencer's recommendation or feeling forced to become influencers themselves.

Heidi Kaluza falls into that last camp, as an influencer who now supports de-influencing.

When she first came onto the scene, Kaluza remembers how some clothing brands would send her up to 20 items a month in various sizes. On top of that, she said her reviews didn't always feel genuine.

"They're kind of forcing me to engage in wearing these clothes and promoting them and only saying good things about them and never critiquing," she said.

"I see [de-influencing] as a growing movement. I think it's going to be a foundational aspect of our society."

The economics of the influencer industry

That's not to say the movement has been entirely pure.

"People saw it as just another trend for them to hop on and figure out how they can capitalize on it and use consumerism to capitalize on de-influencing," said lifestyle content creator Mikayla Farwig.

"They were like, 'Hey, I'm going to de-influence you from this lip gloss because this lip gloss is $42. How about you buy this $10 lip gloss instead?'

"It was still promoting this overconsumption."

And a focus on overconsumption is where the de-influencing movement is heading now. It has evolved from a response to mass advertising to a more nuanced discussion around overconsumption. And its adherents say de-influencing could have a positive effect on the environment.

De-influencing's relationship with the environment

With an online platform, today's de-influencers are spreading a deeper message to their followers about how to live sustainably in a way that helps the planet.

They point to the plastic packaging encasing products hawked online, a small amount of which actually gets recycled; the shipping; and the fact that a lot of these products end up in landfills or being burned, which contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Environment

There is an environmental impact each time you hit 'buy now.' here's an alternative.

The stakes are high when it comes to the rapid consumption of goods and services, which can make people feel powerless, said Aja Barber, but she adds that talking about the issue is the first step for consumers.

"If you can get people to start thinking about the things that they buy, they start thinking about a lot of the bigger topics as well," she said.

Barber is author of the book Consumed: The Need for Collective Change . She's kind of the original de-influencer, having spent years speaking to issues of sustainability in the context of fast fashion.

"The conversation about fast fashion and consumer goods, I find it's like a gateway," she said. "People are like, 'Oh, it's just a frivolous dress,' and then they start to learn a little bit more about what's behind it ... and it just keeps going. Before you know it, you're like me and you have a compost and you won't shut up about it."

This is the point where the de-influencing movement comes full circle and back to influencing — only, with a twist.

"This isn't just about de-influencing. This is about using your influence in the right way," said Solitaire Townsend, a sustainability expert and co-founder of the change agency Futerra.

She has spent years working with communities, brands and even content creators to communicate environmental issues to wider audiences.

Why Americans buy so much stuff: A short history

Townsend said that the de-influencing trend describes something that has been discussed for years — living more sustainably — and that the people with a lot of social media followers have an "enormous outside ability to help us live more sustainably."

"We've known for decades that the number one influence on your behaviors is your friends and family. More than advertising, more than anything governments tell you to do, more than anything that educators tell you to do," she said.

"It turns out we have a close relationship with creators. We hold them in that same friends-and-family bubble."

Townsend's company worked with Unilever on research that looks at the role of influencer content in impacting sustainable choices. The findings, released in 2023 , showed that 83% of respondents think TikTok and Instagram are good places to get advice about how to live sustainably and that 75% are more likely to change their behavior in a direction that is good for the environment after watching social media content.

"Most of us who are following [influencers] really want them to help us with this. We want them to model these behaviors," she said.

• de-influencing
• influencers
• environment
• social media

Essay on Social Media for School Students and Children

500+ words essay on social media.

Social media is a tool that is becoming quite popular these days because of its user-friendly features. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more are giving people a chance to connect with each other across distances. In other words, the whole world is at our fingertips all thanks to social media. The youth is especially one of the most dominant users of social media. All this makes you wonder that something so powerful and with such a massive reach cannot be all good. Like how there are always two sides to a coin, the same goes for social media. Subsequently, different people have different opinions on this debatable topic. So, in this essay on Social Media, we will see the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Advantages of Social Media

When we look at the positive aspect of social media, we find numerous advantages. The most important being a great device for education . All the information one requires is just a click away. Students can educate themselves on various topics using social media.

Moreover, live lectures are now possible because of social media. You can attend a lecture happening in America while sitting in India.

Furthermore, as more and more people are distancing themselves from newspapers, they are depending on social media for news. You are always updated on the latest happenings of the world through it. A person becomes more socially aware of the issues of the world.

In addition, it strengthens bonds with your loved ones. Distance is not a barrier anymore because of social media. For instance, you can easily communicate with your friends and relatives overseas.

Most importantly, it also provides a great platform for young budding artists to showcase their talent for free. You can get great opportunities for employment through social media too.

Another advantage definitely benefits companies who wish to promote their brands. Social media has become a hub for advertising and offers you great opportunities for connecting with the customer.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Disadvantages of Social Media

Despite having such unique advantages, social media is considered to be one of the most harmful elements of society. If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences.

Thus, the sharing on social media especially by children must be monitored at all times. Next up is the addition of social media which is quite common amongst the youth.

This addiction hampers with the academic performance of a student as they waste their time on social media instead of studying. Social media also creates communal rifts. Fake news is spread with the use of it, which poisons the mind of peace-loving citizens.

In short, surely social media has both advantages and disadvantages. But, it all depends on the user at the end. The youth must particularly create a balance between their academic performances, physical activities, and social media. Excess use of anything is harmful and the same thing applies to social media. Therefore, we must strive to live a satisfying life with the right balance.

FAQs on Social Media

Q.1 Is social media beneficial? If yes, then how?

A.1 Social media is quite beneficial. Social Media offers information, news, educational material, a platform for talented youth and brands.

Q.2 What is a disadvantage of Social Media?

A.2 Social media invades your privacy. It makes you addicted and causes health problems. It also results in cyberbullying and scams as well as communal hatred.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Social Media — The Impact of Social Media: Causes and Effects

The Impact of Social Media: Causes and Effects

• Categories: Effects of Social Media Social Media

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Words: 1226 |

Published: Feb 7, 2024

Words: 1226 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, cause 1: increased connectivity and communication, cause 2: promotion of self-expression and individuality, cause 3: access to information and awareness, effect 1: impacts on mental health, effect 2: influence on societal norms and values, effect 3: privacy and security concerns.

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