Families For Life | Managing the influence of influencers
Has your teenager begged you for help buying concert tickets to their favourite artist? Have they started quoting phrases from a stream they watch online? In this day and age, it is hard not to encounter online influencers – from pop stars or live streamers, to social media celebrities – who have the power to entertain, educate and inspire, or sometimes mislead and challenge your family values.
Understandably, you may be concerned about your children trying to chase such stars or imitate them, especially your young teen who may be figuring themselves out and wanting to live a life just like their online idols. As a parent, how do you ensure this influence is positive rather than harmful?
What makes influencers so influential?
The first question on your mind is probably: what’s the big deal about these pop stars or people who play games and make interesting fashion choices?
Influencer culture has changed with the age of the internet. No longer is it about being the epitome of perfection, influencers today are focused on sharing raw, behind-the-scenes glimpses of their lives, making them appear more authentic and relatable. For teens navigating their identity, influencers can feel like friends who understand their struggles, inspire their dreams, and validate their interests.
Many influencers use their platforms to share different facets of life, champion mental health, advocate for social change, or teach valuable life skills. They also expose teens to diverse ideas, cultures, and perspectives, helping to nurture empathy and broaden their worldviews.
On the flip side, not all influencer content is constructive. Some influencers may project unattainable lifestyles, excessive consumerism, unhealthy body standards, leading teens to compare and feel inadequate. The parasocial relationships teens form with influencers can cause them to place trust in people they don’t truly know and distort their reality.
When should I step in?
Stepping in is crucial when your teen’s engagement with influencers starts to impact their well-being or values negatively. Warning signs might include a sudden drop in self-esteem, excessive screen time replacing real-life interactions, or emulating risky or inappropriate behaviour. It is best to keep an eye out and immediately intervene when these signs become more prominent.
Tips to guide your influenced teen
While you can’t fully prevent the impact influencers will have on your teen, you can help them navigate the influencer world with confidence and critical thinking instead. Here are some things you can do as parents to guide and support your teen:
Empower their media literacy and critical thinking
Teens are at a mature yet tender age where they want to exercise freedom to think for themselves. While you should encourage it, also remind them that they do not have to accept an influencer’s opinion at face value. Encourage them to pull back when they find their influencer’s emotions conflict with their own and reflect on their own values regularly.
Create a safe space
Your teen may turn to online influencers to escape the stress of daily life or validate their complex emotions. In this case, creating a space in the real world for them to express and communicate their feelings is crucial for them to stay connected with you. Whether over dinner or an assigned one-on-one time, exercise active listening to learn more about what attracts them to these online celebrities, understand their perspectives and hear out their feelings. These times can also help your teen make safer choices when engaging with influencer content.
Help limit screen time and manage priorities
Setting clear boundaries around online activity and screen time is essential in helping teens develop a healthy relationship with digital content. If your teen is spending too much time online and neglecting their responsibilities, establish suitable rules like limiting screen time to only after doing chores, encouraging balance and preventing over-reliance on online content.
Be curious about their interests
Parents, and people in general, are often quick to dismiss something they don’t completely understand. However, even if you feel you may not relate, showing an interest encourages your teen to be open with their opinions, thoughts, and feelings about their favourite internet idols. Who knows: you may also learn new sides to your teen and create common ground to connect over or discuss the effect these influencers have.
Empowering teens in an influencer world
Navigating the world of influencers with your teen is about finding balance; guiding them to make informed choices while respecting their independence. Not all online personalities are bad influences but you can empower your teen to follow their favourite influencer’s virtues and discern their wrongs. Together, you can turn this digital influence into a learning opportunity that strengthens their values and self-confidence.