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Social Media Influencing Exposed
The troubling truths of social media influencing
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a kid tell you they want to grow up to be a social media influencer.
(You can’t see me over here, but my hand is raised.)
What is this way of life and career to which so many modern kids aspire? Those who want to become influencers often talk about how the lifestyle can open travel and self-development possibilities, as well as help them make a lot of money.
But then there’s the other side of the job that is social media influencing that people rarely talk about: the side that can lead to burnout and depression for influencers, as well as poor mental health and problematic behaviors for the influenced.
Problematic behaviors on both sides of the screen
Many people have the idea that becoming an influencer can be an easy part-time gig. For some people, this may be true. For other influencers, gathering followers and attempting to monetize their content can be a more-than-full-time job that comes with huge pressures and even online harassment.
Influencers make the most money when they have the most engaged followers. Many of them say engagement only happens if they produce non-stop content. If they take a break, their views drop, and their platform algorithms start to promote them less. It’s an ugly cycle, and one that means “taking the weekend off from work often means returning to do the same job on Monday for lower pay.”
In addition to burnout, many influencers report that they get the highest response (and most money) when they engage in dangerous or unhealthy behaviors online, like showcasing their alcoholism (in a positive, humorous way, mind you), or overdoing workouts or unproven health regimes.
Those are just a few of the dangers facing those who create the content. For those who view and interact with their favorite TikTok and Instagram stars, there can be other dangers as well.
There’s a growing consensus that social media use, particularly among young people, can be disastrous to their mental health. In recent months, the U.S. Surgeon General has gone so far as to issue an advisory that…
