Being a famous teen or tween influencer on social media is not as fun and harmless as it may seem.
Many kids enjoy tuning into other people’s lives on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and many dream of being an influencer themselves. But influencing can have negative effects on anyone no matter the age, and it has proved to be especially detrimental to teens and tweens.
A recent example of this is TikTok star Harper Zilmer, who is 16. Zilmer posts relatable and comical content on TikTok and is a part of the LOL Podcast. But she recently stepped away for a brief time to seek mental help from a rehabilitation center.
While Harper has acknowledged that prolonged obsessive compulsive disorder has contributed to her mental health struggles, social media also might have played a role. Zilmer has always received some negative feedback on her posts, which might have taken a toll on her mental health.
In an article about the impacts of social media on teens, the American Psychological Association said that because teens do not have fully developed brains, they are more sensitive to attention, feedback, and reinforcement.
When Zilmer announced she would be stepping aside to seek help, her audience posted questions, made up theories about why she was seeking help, and counted down the days until she made her return.
But mental health should be dealt with in a private manner, away from the spotlight of social media. The attention from her audience could well have put pressure on Zilmer.
She made her return in December and created a post saying she will be sharing a “story time” soon. Zilmer has also made her first appearance back on the LOL Podcast, where she opened up about her time away.
It would perhaps be best for Zilmer to take a step back from social media to focus on herself. Although she said her time away has helped her, constantly being in the spotlight could continue to take a toll on Zilmer.
The impact of fame and popularity on minors is nothing new. It has been prevalent among child actors for years.
Amanda Bynes, Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Macaulay Culkin all got their start as child actors, and all have all fallen victim to the negative effects of being in the spotlight at such young ages.
Each of these actors have admitted to substance abuse to cope with their poor mental health, and many also have criminal records. All of this can be traced back to the effects of their childhoods.
Children have no business being in the spotlight, as it puts far too much pressure on them, and it has proven to cause poor mental health for many.
It is important to put an end to teen and tween popularity before it claims more victims.
