When she was in fifth grade, Scarlett Goddard Strahan started to worry about getting wrinkles.
By the time she turned 10, Scarlett and her friends were spending hours on TikTok and YouTube watching influencers tout products for achieving today’s beauty aesthetic: a dewy, “glowy,” flawless complexion. Scarlett developed an elaborate skin care routine with facial cleansers, mists, hydrating masks and moisturizers.
One night, Scarlett’s skin began to burn intensely and erupted in blisters. Heavy use of adult-strength products had wreaked havoc on her skin. Months later, patches of tiny bumps remain on Scarlett’s face, and her cheeks turn red in the sun.
“I didn’t want to get wrinkles and look old,” says Scarlett, who recently turned 11. “If I had known my life would be so affected by this, I never would have put these things on my face.”
The skin care obsession offers a window into the role social media plays in the lives of today’s youth and how it shapes the ideals and insecurities of girls in particular. Girls are experiencing high levels of sadness and hopelessness. Whether social media exposure causes or simply correlates with mental health problems is up for debate. But to older teens and young adults, it’s clear: Extended time on social media has been bad for them, period.
reminds me of that brain rot drink Prime. Still surprised to this day how a fucking energy drink became a sensation among 10 year olds. probably wonders of social media.
You got Cred!?
Prime in particular is one of the most disgusting things I have ever consumed. The texture is like someone spit in a cup. I am a total energy drink addict, but prime makes no fucking sense to me.
Is that the crap that has the Ice pop flavor? The people I know at a local sports group drink it like it’s liquefied candy at halloween. These folks range from middle-aged to retirees. The effects of its advertising in my parents’ age group are apparent and it is just as insidious as in the young children.
Boomers were very heavily propagandized.
probably, it has all sorts of weird flavors and targets anyone else other than adult sports drink consumers despite being the most caffeinated sports drink
I work at a university and have long seen Prime carried around. Only a few days ago I learned that Mr Beast owns it and is being heavily sued for bad behavior.
Mr beast does not own it. Its two other influencers Logan sth and another guy. If he collaborated with them or bought it later, I don’t know. Also I dont know if Mr Beast is being sued because of bad behaviour but he is being sued for failing some contractual obligations. He is also suing some other people who called him out for being a sociopath.