News Breakdown: Influencer Culture and Its Effect on Youth
- alexisgtrifon
- Dec 17, 2023
- 2 min read
By Alexis Trifon
In the past decade, influencers and the creator economy have become all the craze. A 2023 report by the Influencer Marketing Hub found that there are over 50 million people who define themselves as influencers. Additionally, they estimate the global influencer market to be over $21 billion, which is a significant increase from last year's (2022) $16.4 billion.
You might be wondering: what exactly defines an influencer and what are the criteria for having this title? This question is on a lot of people's minds—including mine—because there is no set definition for what an influencer is. When you look up the word, you'll find traditional definitions and some modern adjustments for the social media context, but again, no singular definition exists.
Due to this ambiguity, anyone can proclaim themselves to be an influencer, especially when the definition depends on the amount of followers one has. To complicate matters even further, a study conducted by Higher Visibility reveals that approximately 1 in 4 individuals within Gen Z plan to pursue a career as a social media influencer.
As Life with Lex has previously highlighted, the mental health crisis among American youth is exacerbated by social media. However, it's also crucial to recognize the connection between influencers, social media, and mental health, specifically in terms of youths' susceptibility to trends, products, and lifestyles that are oftentimes glamorized or flat out untrue.
A former social media manager, who has since left the industry, shared with Life with Lex, "The pictures posted by many influencers are not rooted in reality; they are either edited or showcase items that do not actually belong to them. At the end of the day, social media can be a good career, and there is nothing wrong with sharing your life online. However, when you deceive your audience—many of whom are young girls—there is a problem."
Ultimately, Gen Z is the one paying the price, as we have become accustomed to the trends, beauty standards, and lifestyles we see on social media. Perfection and toxicity have simultaneously been normalized.
A joint, collaborative effort is necessary in order to make progress. The responsibility to foster a healthier online environment should not just fall on the consumers, but rather influencers, companies, and government entities alike. Whether it's through more regulation in the industry or fostering overall transparency regarding the content we consume, it's essential to navigate towards a space where authenticity prevails and youth's mental health is never compromised!
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