Is Social Media Making Kids Grow Up Faster?

When was the last time you walked into your local Sephora? Did you happen to encounter any young children? If so, you are not alone! The “Sephora 10-year-old” epidemic is taking the world by storm, gaining a lot of attention on social media apps, such as TikTok. While many people have been sharing their personal horror stories dealing with these beauty-obsessed kids, it has also brought up a larger conversation about the younger generation, specifically the way growing up with social media has shaped them.

This decade has brought many exciting advancements to society, the internet being one of the most notable. The internet has contributed to society in many valuable ways, but at what cost? This is the first generation that has been raised with, for the most part, unchecked and unlimited internet access. We are already beginning to witness the effects of this, such as a lack of imagination and individuality in the youth of today. When these children are constantly exposed to trends on social media, that makes them eager to join in. Many things on social media can be very misleading, and children are usually a lot more gullible. This can lead them into danger with the things they do.

Social media is also harmful to a kid's self-esteem. There are so many standards put onto people on social media, things that children sometimes just cannot live up to. This could lead to insecurity and cause kids to try to act older than they are. Children deserve a carefree childhood full of games and creativity. Social media takes that away from kids.

Feeling compelled to buy a product due to constantly seeing your favorite influencers hype it up is one of the biggest factors contributing to this issue. Younger kids are following beauty influencers, who are typically more than twice their age, use expensive makeup products and skincare, such as retinal, which is needed for their aging skin. Kids at the age of 10 and even younger are receiving this sort of content on their For You page, and it is endorsed by a famous influencer or celebrity making them feel as though they also need the popular products because they’re considered cool and trendy. Over the years, there has been a very noticeable increase in the normalization of younger kids using makeup on a day-to-day basis. These trends have the potential to cause problems with the physical and mental well-being of these young consumers and likely have already started to take their toll. Although it is very much not their job, beauty influencers need to realize the impact that their content could have on kids. Parents should also help their children to better understand why they don’t need to blindly follow every single trend to fit in and teach them about the balance between a healthy, appropriate makeup or skincare routine for their individual self.

Overall, the Sephora 10-year-olds controversy demonstrates the major influence that social media has on today’s youth. Having almost fully unrestricted access to the internet has caused the younger generations to feel constant pressure to follow trends and fit in, which negatively impacts their sense of individuality. Society has normalized social media to be a part of our daily lives, and people tend to pretend to be someone that they aren’t. This sets a completely unrealistic expectation for kids for their young, developing brains. It can shape their perception of what is considered normal and what they should be insecure about and hide such as acne, their body, money, and so much more. Social media is simply very damaging to the overall well-being of younger generations and if something doesn’t change, the consequences could be disastrous.