Hits Radio launch #UnderTheInfluencer campaign
In the week ahead, we are investigating the dangers faced by young people from online Influencers
Last updated 5th May 2021
"There's a lot of pressure to always look good".
They are the words of a woman from Wiltshire, explaining how her relationship with Instagram turned toxic whilst at school.
The comments from Hannah Frame follow the publication of a major report, which claims that heavy social media usage contributes to low self-esteem and wellbeing for teenagers.
The study, from the Education Policy Institute and Prince's Trust, analysed data on approximately 5,000 young people born around the year 2000 and living in England.
In particular, kids who spent countless hours on apps including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram when aged 14 are deemed to be vulnerable to "higher psychological distress" once they turn 17 years-old.
The report calls this correlation "significant".
#UnderTheInfluencer
The exponentially rising 'Influencing' industry is widely thought to be a factor behind the unhealthy interactions that some people have with their smart phones.
Online celebrities are tapping-into the market of their thousands, or sometimes millions, of followers - often making lucrative sums whilst portraying a seemingly idyllic lifestyle.
But what are the consequences of engaging with this content?
Hannah has told us that she doctored photos of herself online whilst at secondary school, as she looked to imitate Influencers:
'Who you are as a person is so much more important'
With Generation Z becoming increasingly engrossed by a diet of social media, the now 24 year-old has this message for other teenagers who may too be tempted to edit their physical appearance online:
"Ask yourself why you're doing it. Are you doing it for yourself, to make yourself feel better?
"Or are you doing it to attract a boy, or a girl? Or are you doing it to get more 'likes'?
"If you work-out why you're doing it, you can address that ... who you are as a person is so much more important".
Over the coming days, Hits Radio's #UnderTheInfluencer campaign will delve deeper into the pitfalls of the Influencing industry - for producers and consumers alike.
Instagram has been contacted for a response.