Muscat: Social media influencers and celebrities may often unlink youth and teenagers from reality. Social apps spawn followers who aspire to a lavish lifestyle by copying trends without rhyme or reason. However, experts say young people should be aware of the pitfalls and downsides of consuming such content.
Dr Ahmed Abdullah, a specialist in social psychology, explains: “Youth and teenagers are under great pressure to define their identity and determine their values and goals. When they see the lifestyle of celebrities, they tend to consider it a role model, which makes them strive to achieve this lifestyle even if it does not suit their capabilities or reality.”
Once under the spell, young people may start thinking about acquiring what they cannot afford, which exposes them to the risk of personal debt. Some may even seek to achieve this lifestyle through illegal means. Worse still, the constant comparison to the lives of celebrities may lead to feelings of inferiority and increase the risk of depression and anxiety.
Dr Maryam al Shammari, Professor of Psychology at King Saud University, says: “Excessive following of extravagant lives on social media may lead to unrealistic expectations about life. Many teenagers do not realise that what appears on these platforms is not a complete picture of a person’s life but rather selected and modified to appear at their best. This makes young people compare their real lives to what they see and feel inadequate about their reality.”
The role of parents is to educate children about the fact that what is displayed on social media is not necessarily a reflection of reality, and that some of these images may be modified or based on marketing strategies.
Parents also play an important role in promoting values that help young people understand life, such as the value of saving and the importance of achieving realistic goals. Dr Abdullah advises opening channels of communication between parents and children so that the latter can express their feelings and thoughts about what they see and seek clarity.
Educational institutions can also play an effective role in educating young people. Schools can provide awareness programmes on the safe use of social media and guide students on how to differentiate between promotional content and information. A special media education course can also be introduced to teach young people the methods celebrities use to influence their followers and encourage them to think critically about what they are exposed to.
The solution is not to prevent young people from using social media but to help them achieve a healthy balance in the way they interact with it. Experts advise young people to reduce the time they spend on social media, especially when following celebrity accounts. Instead, they can use this time to develop their personal skills and engage in activities that contribute to boosting their self-confidence.
To overcome the negative impact of the extravagant lifestyles displayed by celebrities, a set of strategies can be adopted to help young people develop a deeper understanding of life. Among these strategies are:
1. Community awareness: Through media campaigns that highlight the impact of superficial appearances and reveal the reality of social media, awareness can be spread among young people and teenagers about the importance of focusing on themselves and not comparing themselves to what they see.
2. Encouraging real role models: Instead of focusing on the lives of celebrities, the role of personalities who provide positive and constructive content can be highlighted.
3. Self-development and realistic planning: It is essential to encourage young people to set realistic, achievable goals and focus on self-development, so they are motivated to face challenges with their true capabilities.
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