What Parents Need to Know About Teens and Social Media Fame
Rhiannon Ragland has never had much interest in building her own social media presence. But as a mom to a teenager, she adheres to best parenting practices: she follows her daughter Brenna’s accounts, pays attention to what she posts, and talks to her about responsible communication.
One thing that is missing from typical parenting instruction: what happens when your child becomes famous on social media?
Ragland returned home one day this winter when Brenna was a FaceTiming “fan” – a 13-year-old girl who lives in Egypt and cried because she couldn’t believe that one of her favorite, famous TikToker members had actually called her.
“It went viral and I felt like I was caught on a weakness, so I had to pay more attention and play catch-up,” Ragland said.
Brenna has Brennag33 on TikTok with almost 280,000 subscribers. In her most popular video, which has garnered over 32 million views, even her mom is dancing with her.
“I first went viral in October 2019, so after that I started posting more often,” Brenna said. “My mom knows everything I publish and subscribes to me. She has actually starred in a lot of my videos. “
Ragland may not have known exactly what she was signing up for when she agreed to star in Brenna’s videos, but her presence in them is a positive parenting tactic to help create a safe environment on children’s social media accounts.
Dr. Stephanie Tong, professor of communications at Wayne State University and director of the Social Media and Relational Technology Laboratory (SMART) , studies how people initiate, maintain, and end relationships through social media. Tong notes that being visible on a child’s account is a good way to tell followers that the parent is present and paying attention.
“There are many social media accounts that say, ‘This is a parent-managed account’ to alert the audience that someone is watching,” Tong says. “So you really see digital cues like this that showcase what’s going on behind the scenes.”
Navigating social media celebrity
TikTok is especially relevant now because of its popularity among young people. More than 40 percent of its users, aged 16 to 24, are attracted by the app format for videos less than 15 seconds long, often with dancing. Popular teen TikTokers were featured in The New York Times and performed at theNBA All-Star Game .
But everything that is so popular you can try to monetize. The growing popularity of Brenna’s account has led to these requests, and advice on managing these types of requests goes beyond most of the parenting social media FAQs.
“I started getting requests for different songs and different dances,” Brenna said. “Several companies also approached me to help promote their brand.”
And then there’s redistribution. Often times, people become famous for their ability to sincerely share their real life experiences with their followers. But it can also create problems: Brenna said that she has not personally been bullied or harassed in the app, but it does, which resulted in TikTok updating and clarifying its anti-cyberbullying policy in December.
“There is tremendous pressure that comes from being so visible and forced to show a semblance of authenticity,” says Tong. “I think if you look at the research, [users] are really open to this pressure, but also to ridicule and harassment. There is this strong need to be visible, but also a need to protect oneself. It’s really hard. “
Tong also notes that one of the biggest controversies for influencers and people who have become famous on social media platforms is staying in touch with subscribers, and suddenly there is a need to protect yourself from the disclosure of large personal or identifying information. unknown audience.
“In the literature, this is sometimes referred to as an ‘authenticity tie’. You want to be real, but not too real, and you have to balance your public identity with your personal image, ”says Tong. “It’s hard for anyone to deal with, but just for aspiring adults who are still trying to figure out these questions for themselves, it’s extremely difficult and then they have to try to find those answers in a very public arena.”
The appeal of an app like TikTok to teens is a sense of community, especially in the midst of a global health crisis that has shut traditional social opportunities out of school and extracurricular activities. But even before the COVID-19 outbreak, TikTok served as the latest digital replacement for face-to-face communication. The social aspects of the app appeal to Brenna the most.
“I love meeting people through TikTok the most because the people you meet are sincere and mostly share the same interests,” she said. “I spend a lot more time looking for new ideas and finding friends through the app.”
What parents can do
Tips for finding little-known kids on social media still apply when viral fame becomes a factor, but volume makes a difference. The more subscribers, the more interactions, and the response takes longer. Therefore, setting limits on how long a device can run is important to ensure that volume does not overwhelm their other responsibilities.
Companies and individuals desperate to take advantage of reliable and natural voices to sell goods or services to them are also becoming more daring to approach. So empowering children to navigate these demands, to determine if they are worth it, and if so, what is being asked or asked of them in return are important learning points.
Creating an environment where children are comfortable sharing information about their interactions, especially if they are being bullied or bullied, is also vital, so knowing the anti-bullying policies and reporting mechanisms of each application is essential.
In general, Tong encourages parents to simply try to understand the platforms and technologies their children use.
“I really think parents should educate themselves,” she says. “I don’t think there is more to just say, ‘Oh, I’m from a different generation.’ It’s just part of modern parenting. “