Imagine this: at dinner, your teen suddenly insists she needs a certain brand of skincare because her favourite influencer swears by it. Or your son, once uninterested in fashion, now begs for a pricey hoodie just because his YouTube idol wears it.
For many parents, this is no stretch of imagination, but something that resonates all too familiarly. Social media influencers are today’s cultural conduits. They shape trends, values, and even self-esteem. With digital platforms playing an ever-growing and evolving role in children’s lives, influencers are often seen as role models, sometimes more influential than teachers or even parents themselves.
While some creators use their platforms to educate, inspire, and spread positivity, others can promote unrealistic expectations, unhealthy habits, and even misinformation. As parents, understanding this dynamic is crucial to guiding children toward being responsible digital consumers.
Globally, there is a growing movement to limit children’s social media usage, driven by concerns over mental health and well-being. Recent developments include Australia enacting a law prohibiting children under 16 from accessing social media without verified parental consent, and the UK looking to raise the digital age of consent from 13 to 16, potentially banning under-16s from platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Most social media platforms require users to be at least 13 years old, with some platforms having higher age limits or additional restrictions for younger users.
With these developments in mind, what should you know or be wary about if your teen or child is currently accessing social media?
The good, the bad, and the in-between
While influencers are often seen as entertainers, they are also essentially educators, motivators, and advocates. Many use their platforms to teach digital literacy, champion mental health awareness, promote inclusivity, and encourage creativity and positivity. From science communicators who make learning fun, to wellness advocates who promote healthy self-care routines, responsible influencers can enrich young minds.
Some of today’s most impactful creators focus on education by making complex topics fun and accessible, such as STEM (Science, Technology, English, Mathematics), history, and finance. Others champion mental health by encouraging self-acceptance and emotional well-being. Some even use their influence for activism, raising awareness on important social issues, while others promote creativity and talent development by inspiring kids to explore new skills and hobbies.
However, not all influencer content is created equal. The curated, filtered world of social media often distorts reality, leading young ones to compare their lives to highly edited versions of someone else’s. A major concern, for instance, is the rise of unrealistic beauty standards, where filters and cosmetic enhancements create impossible ideals, fuelling insecurities among impressionable viewers.
There is also the growing concern of materialism and overconsumption, as many influencers push a lifestyle of excess, often involving over-the-top shopping hauls, luxury vacations, and brand promotions that encourage unhealthy spending habits.
Additionally, reckless behaviour and viral challenges may be glorified online, encouraging dangerous stunts, extreme diets, or irresponsible pranks. Without guidance, teens may internalise harmful messaging, believing that their worth is tied to appearance, wealth, or social media and peer validation.
Understanding the algorithm: why kids see what they see
Think the content your teen consumes is by chance? Think again. Social media platforms are meticulously engineered to capture and retain attention. Algorithms prioritise content that is highly engaging, meaning that videos with extreme opinions, viral stunts, or emotionally charged messages are more likely to appear on your child’s feed.
Several factors influence what content is recommended, including engagement-based recommendations where more likes, shares, and comments mean more visibility. Personalisation also plays a role, as platforms track what kids watch and suggest similar content, potentially creating echo chambers that reinforce harmful beliefs. Furthermore, many children cannot distinguish between organic content and paid promotions, making it important for parents to understand that what their children see online is not accidental or incidental, but by design.
“Help, I’m a parent and I’m not sure what to do!”
Trust us, you’re not alone. As overwhelming as it may seem, parents can take charge of their child’s online experience. Here are some practical steps that may help:
1. Spot problematic content
Be mindful of warning signs that an influencer may be negatively impacting your child, such as excessive focus on appearance, money, or status; overly-scripted or unrealistic lifestyles presented as normal; harmful challenges or reckless behaviour being encouraged; and manipulative messaging that guilts kids into consuming or engaging.
2. Have open conversations
Foster critical thinking by discussing what your child watches. Empower them to discern for themselves. Ask them questions like, “What do you like about this influencer? Do you think their life is really like this?”
Teach media literacy by explaining how influencers monetise their content and why they promote products. Help your child debunk unrealistic ideals by encouraging them to compare online portrayals to real-life experiences.
3. Set healthy boundaries
Establish screen time limits without making digital spaces feel forbidden, and explore the safety features on each social media platform, such as parental controls, content filters, and privacy settings, to create a safer digital environment.
Encourage diverse content consumption by introducing children to educational and inspiring creators, while also promoting offline hobbies to help them develop skills beyond social media. By taking a proactive role in guiding their child’s online experience, parents can foster responsible digital habits while ensuring a balanced and safe approach to social media use.
So your kid wants to be a content creator?
More children and teens today dream of becoming influencers. The rise of children as content creators on social media has prompted significant legal scrutiny and the development of new regulations worldwide, with concerns around privacy, data protection, online safety, mental health, and the potential for exploitation.
If your teen is interested in content creation, don’t outrightly discourage them. Instead, guide them toward ethical and responsible decision-making and engagement.
Teach privacy awareness by encouraging them to avoid sharing personal details or locations. Help them focus on value-driven content that prioritises creativity, education, or positivity rather than trends. Discuss online interactions and prepare them for criticism, while emphasising the importance of mental resilience. Additionally, monitor monetisation ethics to ensure they understand transparency in sponsorships and ads.
Being a creator is not inherently bad. Think of it as an opportunity to teach accountability and ethics in the digital world.
Building a safer digital world
Ultimately, creating a safer, healthier online space for young ones requires collective effort. Parents must engage in their child’s digital life without fear or resistance. Meanwhile, influencers should practice ethical responsibility in their content. Platforms must strengthen regulations to prioritise child safety over engagement.
Our kids don’t necessarily need to be shielded from the digital world. But it is very important that they be guided through it. By equipping them with critical thinking skills, ethical awareness, and digital balance, we can help them navigate the influencer-driven world wisely and safely.
The goal isn’t to raise social media skeptics, but rather, nurture empowered, thoughtful digital citizens who can thrive in an online space without being controlled by it.
By The Content Forum Malaysia
The Content Forum Malaysia is an industry forum that oversees and promotes self-regulation of content over the electronic networked medium. Aimed at facilitating self-regulation, which provides an additional layer of consumer protection that complements the legal framework, the Content Forum Malaysia is committed to govern and promote the creation, distribution and consumption of content.
