Social media has been a major source of fashion inspiration, news, and sharing of personal experiences over the past ten years. Social media was not always the primary news source. People used to get their information through magazines, newspapers, and television, which were filled with broadcasts from specialists and experts. Social media has now taken over all of these platforms for the most part, and is the main source of information for many people of all ages (even generations above millennials). So who are the people communicating this information on social media? They are often called “social media influencers” and believe it or not, these influencers can literally be anyone from an A list celebrity to your nextdoor neighbor. Let’s talk about the impact of social media and the influence that it has on society today.
What Is the Role of Social Media Influencers?
A social media influencer can be someone with a large following, usually over 10K followers. This allows them to share their thoughts and feelings with all who follow them. Our influencers used to be mainly news anchors, journalists and celebrities, most of which in one way or the other knew what they were talking about, before social media. Anyone can be a social media influencer today. For example, on TikTok you can go from 2 followers to 20K followers in one day because of one viral video. Many of us are being influenced every day by people who have become viral on social media. This means that a lot of the social media influencers we follow and listen to today, could literally be your nextdoor neighbor or even a 14 year old high school student. While some may be able to explain what they are talking about, many others don’t. The information we consume becomes less valuable and more of a risk to trust, due to the broad range of individuals sharing nothing but their personal thoughts with their followers. Ultimately, most of the people we follow, listen to, and trust on social media are just regular people, meaning that most of what they share is based off of personal experience or opinion.
Is Social Media Influence Good or Bad?
This question is not easy to answer. Although some people might be affected in certain cases, most information from social media can be considered harmless. It all depends on how serious or personal you take it. Due to the many policies and guidelines established on social media platforms, it is very difficult to share any information that could potentially be harmful to users. This makes these platforms a safe space for many. However, social media does influence a lot of people in a sense that it is a common space for trends to develop. This means that certain styles, looks, and even political views and mindsets can be shaped on a social media platform alone.
You should also keep in mind, that social media influencers can be influenced by one another as well. This is how social standards are created, and everyone starts to gravitate towards one particular trend.
This may make users feel like they have to follow a particular style or trend, but ultimately it is up to them to decide if they do. One example is the rise in cosmetic injectables because of the popularity of a large voluminous lip. Some people might react negatively to this, feeling insecure, or needing to do the same. However, an influencer can recommend their favorite injector or share information from professionals they have worked with. You may even increase your confidence, or learn new ways to improve yourself. In this case, social media is a great tool.
The Bottom Line
Social media is a great source of information. Everyone should remember that even though you may have some trusted influencers, it is important that you do your research before following every single thing you see on social networks. Although these platforms can be great for sharing important information and insights, it can also be risky, as many of those we follow may not be experts. There is nothing wrong with having influence on your favorite platforms as long as you do your research and are safe.
