Social media is currently not about sharing contents with the people we know, but most teenagers are becoming more concerned about the attention they get on social media. Besides interacting directly with their favorite artist, brand, movies or celebrities, most companies are using their enthusiastic fans for marketing their products (Frontline). Youths find it entertaining and a way of expressing themselves to the world. They become motivated to even post more content on social media to gain much attention from their peers. In as much as the corporate world the teenagers to advertise their products, it is unclear whether they are using them or not since most teenagers offer to promote the brand without being forced (Frontline). Besides, they want to get popular among their peers, and once a company identifies them to be their brand ambassador, they feel it is one of the most excellent opportunities for the world to know them. Teenagers believe this is a form of empowerment and that they can express themselves without being judged.

Teenagers do not care whether corporate use them or not. Before any company could have noticed them, they were enthusiastic fans and wanted to share their content with everyone. They also want to gain more followers and get the most likes since it makes them build their self-esteem and makes them feel confident knowing that many people benefit from the stories they share (Frontline). Some teenagers share their personal stories with the world yet they find it difficult to share the same stories with the people they are close with like their parents or close friends for fear of being judged. Social media, therefore, gives them the opportunity to be themselves.

 Questions

1. Is it possible that companies could be misusing their fan to benefit themselves?
2. Do the teenagers take the issue of cyberbullying into consideration before they share contents online?

Work Cited

Frontline. Generation Like (2014). Retrieved on March 22, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/generation-like/