By: Annalisa Fletcher

-“The salicylic acid treatment would be best for me because I really want glass skin.”

-“No actually I think the viral $73 eye serum would work best for your skin because it’s already clear, you just have some eyebags.”

Imagine a conversation like this between two nine year olds on TikTok talking about skincare routines meant for adults. It perfectly captures just how much social media is embedded in kids’ lives before they even finish elementary school. With trends like “2026 is the new 2016”, children who weren’t even born a decade ago are already participating in online beauty, fashion, and lifestyle culture. Social media isn’t just a form of entertainment teens scroll through. It’s shaping how young people express themselves for better or worse. While it can fuel creativity and open doors to new skills, it also puts pressure on kids to grow up fast and pushes imitation over imagination.

For many young people, social media is a place to create, not just consume. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube give kids and teens a place to make videos, design art, try fashion ideas, or tell stories. Social media exposes young creators to tutorials and communities they might never find in real life. Want to learn editing? Makeup techniques? Drawing tips? What’s great about social media is that there’s so much to learn and there’s almost a niche for anything. It also gives children the space to discover passions early on, which may turn into careers in the future. Sharing creations online can also boost confidence. Positive feedback gives kids a voice and encourages self-expression. It’s also a space where young people can see others like them thriving, which can be motivation.

However, social media doesn’t just inspire, it also norms. Trends reward copying because replication gets attention. That means kids often feel pressure to follow what’s already popular instead of inventing or trying something new. Creativity slowly changes from play to performatism. Social groups named on social media like “preppy,” “emo,” or “basic” can box people into stereotypes that stretch beyond harmless fashion labels. As Ellen Clark, and author on the popular site Medium puts it, “In my personal life, I am often stereotyped as a “preppy sorority girl” on social media. What this might mean to others is that my sorority is my whole life, and making posts about it on Instagram is the main highlight of my days. Though I enjoy and love the girls in my sorority, I wouldn’t say that this is all I have to offer in my life, and that I am not really a preppy sorority girl.”(Clark) Unfortunately, sometimes these stereotypes can venture into harmful territory about race, religion, and identity.

Two Innovation Academy seniors added to this, Lujain Elhamarna[12] stated,“I feel like a really big stereotype I saw online is how immigrants are seen as dangerous… and Muslims are called terrorists….A few years ago it was definitely more common, now it’s a lot less. I think people are starting to realize it’s unfair to judge a whole group, there are bad people everywhere, and it’s not fair to talk about everyone like that.” Social media can amplify fear-based narratives over facts. Elhamarna also acknowledges a shift over time and suggested that increased awareness and conversations have helped challenge these stereotypes. Jayden Segovia[12] stated, “Social media can get rid of stereotypes because it shows you everything, not just what the news chooses. But if it becomes censored or limited, that might make stereotypes stronger again.” While social media can spread harmful ideas quickly, it can also be a space where people can begin to question them and unlearn them. It reinforces the idea that social media’s influence depends largely on how users engage with it, and if they choose to repeat or challenge harmful narratives.

Another big downside is childhoods getting cut short. “Sephora kids” and younger beauty standards push children into routines and fuels concerns usually saved for teens or adults. Instead of hanging out, kids are concerned about follower counts, likes, and trendiness. As a result, social comparison becomes a full-time job, and self-worth can be hurt far too early on.

So, what’s the answer? Is social media fueling creativity or forcing kids to grow up too soon? The real answer might be a little bit of both. Simply put, social media isn’t a villain or a hero. It’s a tool, and like any tool, what it becomes depends on how we use it. We should learn not just to consume content, but to create with purpose. Social media’s creative potential is real, but so is its power to mimic trends and squash originality if young people feel like they have to fit a mold to be accepted. It’s complex because everyone’s experience with it is different. Instead of viewing social media in black and white, we have to ask ourselves: are we supporting people in using these platforms in ways that expand creativity, or are we letting trends and pressures limit who they feel free to be?

Works Cited-

Clark, Ellen. “Stereotypes in Social Media.” Medium, 12 Feb. 2024, medium.com/ellen‑clark/steres‑in‑social‑media‑4bafb32b16a4

Ngufack Ntemgwa, Ngala Desmond. “Social Media: Challenging Clichés and Stereotypes that Fuel Conflicts.” #defyhatenow, 8 Nov. 2023, defyhatenow.org/social‑media‑challenging‑cliches‑and‑stereotypes‑that‑fuel‑conflicts/

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