This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.
The influencer era has shaped the behavior and daily routines of thousands of children and teenagers, who are impacted daily by the content they consume. Fashionable clothes, fitness diets, beauty products, and narratives that spark an urgent desire to “have” and “be” like their favorite influencers are now part of the new generations’ everyday lives.
As concerning as this scenario already was among young audiences, today it has expanded into an even more fragile territory: children. The internet has broken through age barriers, exposing a defenseless group to the risks and pressures of social media.
According to the TIC Kids Online Brazil survey, conducted in October 2024, 83% of Brazilian children and adolescents who use the internet have profiles on social media. The most alarming data, however, lies in the 9-to-10-year-old age group: 60% of children in this range have an account on at least one platform, even though the main networks claim not to allow users under 13.
The same research reveals that 29% of children and adolescents aged 9 to 17 have gone through unpleasant situations or experiences that upset them on social networks. Among young people aged 11 to 17 who reported having faced offensive experiences, only 31% told their parents or guardians; 29% shared it with friends their age; and 17% spoke to siblings or cousins. Worryingly, 13% chose not to tell anyone.
THE RISKS OF EARLY EXPOSURE
Among the countless risks of an increasingly chronically online childhood, overexposure is perhaps the most concerning. Simply having an account on any platform makes one susceptible to the gaze of strangers, hate speech, and destructive comparisons.
In the past, childhood was reserved for anonymity, learning, and interactions through play and friendships within more protected contexts.
Nowadays, children can become public figures as early as infancy, accumulating followers, brand deals, and an emotional burden that is far beyond their age. This anticipation of adult life, mediated by screens, creates an environment of vulnerability and pressure never before experienced by any previous generation.
The desire to resemble that famous influencer, to replicate styles and behaviors often far removed from their reality, can open the door to issues such as body image distortion, insecurities, harassment, and situations of disrespect.
Moreover, the virtual space, with its often toxic and accelerated dynamics, rarely respects children’s emotional limits. The quest for likes and followers, typical of the influencer universe, can be even more harmful when imposed or encouraged at such an early stage of life.
THE ROLE OF LEGAL GUARDIANS
Although it may seem increasingly difficult to supervise what children consume — and, more importantly, how they expose themselves — this remains a fundamental task. The debate is not just about access, but about setting limits, offering guidance, and ensuring protection. Children should not be subjected to this level of visibility, nor should they be transformed into mini influencers before they are emotionally prepared to handle the pressures of such a position.
Protecting childhood also means ensuring that the digital space is healthier, more ethical, and safer. It is up to parents, educators, guardians, and society as a whole to think about alternatives that preserve the right to simply be a child, far from the traps and unrealistic expectations that the internet so often imposes.
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The article above was edited by Beatriz Gatz.
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