By Abigail Kim

All across the world, social media has become a crucial part of youth culture as it provides unprecedented opportunities for youth to connect and communicate with their peers and friends, facilitating the exchange of ideas and cultures. Not only does social media allow us to stay updated on current events, trends, and recent developments, but it also provides instant access to a wide and diverse range of information from a variety of communities.

Nowadays, young people have been more in tune with the trend of trying to establish themselves as social media influencers. They utilize their digital presence to either express themselves creatively through content creation or amplify their voices through activism and advocacy.

Many young people today view becoming an influencer as a potential career. According to Morning Consult, a decision intelligence company, approximately 86 percent of Gen Zers would like to try out influencing, and 57 percent would become an influencer if given the opportunity. With the assistance of popular online platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, becoming an influencer is easier due to high-tech editing tools and filters. 

Young stars like TikToker Charlie D’Amelio and YouTuber Emma Chamberlain rose to popularity through their unique and eye-catching content. Today, they are seen as Internet idols who teenagers want to emulate. Seeing their success is a huge inspiration to do better on your own, motivating youth to make a positive change within society. 

But in all honesty, is being an influencer really that great? Lots of potential negative implications arise when considering the lifestyle of an influencer, and it’s important to consider such implications before you decide to try your hand at becoming the next YouTube star. 

First and foremost, becoming an influencer isn’t easy. Many young people are enamored with the idea of being an influencer rather than what it means to be one. Influencer culture exudes the image of a glamorous and seemingly effortless lifestyle. However, this promotes unrealistic expectations about what success, beauty standards, and material wealth look like. When things do not go according to plan, dissatisfaction and self-esteem issues can arise. 

Influencer culture also centers around the idea of garnering likes, followers, and validation from one’s audience. But this kind of thinking only leads to shallowness and an addiction to accumulating likes and followers. It may also result in the constant need for approval and validation, which could lead to anxiety, insecurities, and a sense of inadequacy. 

Although we idolize influencers’ lifestyles, we don’t know what lies behind the screen. Influencers curate a carefully crafted image of themselves on the Internet in the hopes of attracting a loyal fanbase, which presents an idealized, artificial version of reality, one that is often far from the truth. Young influencers may feel inadequate when they do not reach those high albeit false standards. 

Influencers are also under constant scrutiny and harassment from online communities. The pressure of maintaining a perfect online persona, handling frequent criticism, and just navigating the obstacles of fame can take a huge toll on a person’s mental health. This could present itself as anxiety, stress, or depression, especially when you’re faced with online harassment or criticism. 

Finally, becoming an influencer means that you make a lot of sacrifices, including losing your privacy. A person’s personal life is under constant scrutiny when they post about themselves online. Loss of privacy can be detrimental to not only yourself but also those around you, leaving influencers feeling exposed and vulnerable. 

Although influencing may seem alluring at first glance, it might not be the right fit or opportunity for you. Influencing is a difficult and potentially lonely path to take, though it can be lucrative.