If there is one thing that most people in society can agree on, it’s that social media has affected our relationships, mental health, and especially our viewpoints. For many, the controversial topics of vaccines, climate change, and political biases leave room for us to wonder how these digital platforms are affecting our perspectives in these aspects.
Whether it’s doomscrolling on Instagram reels, replaying funny TikToks, watching your favorite mukbangs on YouTube, or engaging with daily news on Facebook, many people rely on social media to provide them entertainment and news in our ever-advancing digital world.
While we may feel that getting our news and entertainment from such platforms is the most convenient and accessible path, it leaves the credibility and efforts of traditional journalists in the dust. This, in turn, impacts competition, transparency, and misinformation.
I, for one, am yet another victim falling for this trap. Influencers online seem to sway my buying habits, while also creating confusion in mind regarding my stance on certain topics. The vivid transparency and anecdotal attributes of several influencers, makes me question who is actually shaping the public’s view.
More than ever, credibility is based on the amount of followers an influencer has rather than journalists who are verified. Some influencers, however, profit from spreading misinformation, ultimately changing the public’s eye and earning money for it.
CNN states, “A recent report from the Pew Research Center found that almost 40% of young Americans aged 18 to 29 “regularly” get their news from influencers, most of whom have never been employed by a news organization. And a separate survey from Pew found that more than half of American adults “at least sometimes” get their news from social media.”
Our increased reliance on media from uncredible sources has led to an altered understanding politically, socially, and medically. For example, one influencer may prescribe a sponsored product to their audience, claiming that it cures all diseases instantly. Another example could be influencers on certain political parties, telling their audiences why the opposing party will be ruinous to America.
While we may think that these individuals aren’t actually influencing the minds of our society, they very much are.
Due to the fact that traditional journalism often takes more time to produce, edit, and publish, the time consuming process of releasing some forms of media can be a competitive advantage to many influencers. Social media has been a place for individuals all over the world to come together, however, the misleading information that some may provide to the public, makes us question the validity of this relationship.
Personally, I enjoy scrolling through social media as an entertainment platform and noticing such influencers throwing out such extreme advice or solutions that ultimately don’t make sense. Social media may need to have a level of skepticism with it, although some influencers may have credible background.
Some solutions to combatting these levels of misinformation include using verifiable accounts – made by official corporations – and always be skeptical of information that others are throwing out.
Traditional journalism is still a reliable source of information for the public to consume, however, it is all in the hands of the viewer at the end of the day.
Influencer culture has shaped the digital landscape, by tying in anecdotal stories with profit-gaining promotions. While this influx may lead to more people using their voice and standing up for good causes, it’s important to consider how much of it is inherently true.
So maybe it’s time to put our vlogging cameras down, analyze the truth behind our preaching, and above all, make the online world a better place for decades to come.