With popular creators all over the internet, young adults mistake content for a genuine connection. People are becoming more and more attached to influencers and online personalities who, frankly, do not know that they exist. Streamers, actors, podcasters and famous people in general are normal people with deep flaws and issues just like everyone outside of their status. They should not be worshiped and people should not get attached to them like they are above all non-famous people. This is especially true when you grow a one sided crazed relationship that makes you care about them more than just entertainment.
A parasocial relationship is a one-sided bond in which one person thinks that they know somebody closely while the other person doesn’t know them at all. This usually has applied to movie stars or famous athletes; now we are platforming thousands of “influencers” that can feel even more personable.
That kind of relationship should not be taken as “just part of the internet.” According to the Pew Research Center almost half of teens in the United States claim that they spend a large majority of their time online. In a similar study by Pew, 48% of teens have reported that social media has had a negative effect on themselves and their peers. As far as self reporting goes, that is a colossal red flag. A lot of times social media personalities are trying to build engagement and seem like this goody-two-shoes and relatable to the average person. But in reality, these people are flawed, just like everyone else. Sometimes creators do terrible things and have influence on their younger audience.
This is where the parasocial issue gets extremely problematic. Internet users start defending internet personalities like they know them personally. Fans of influences often attack strangers online for criticizing their favorite creators. These interactions have often reached the extreme, with threats and leaking of personal information often being involved.
A very notable example of doxxing is when anti-abortion hackers in the 1990s exposed the personal information of abortion providers. This information included full names, addresses and photos. That doesn’t just happen with major disagreements in politics some crazy fans decide to leak information to combat hate towards their favorite internet star. There are even many cases of “fans” showing up to creators’ homes in hopes of meeting them. That is not loyalty, that is a one sided investment in the life of a stranger. Idolizing influencers like they are someone to protect or defend is sad. Although people who engage in extremely delusional parasocial relationships undoubtedly have issues, it isn’t yet seen as a major mental illness, but it absolutely should be labeled as one. The massive issue that we as a society are faced with is this environment of most teens being online is replacing real human connection with fake relationships. Young adults have already gone through a childhood riddled with technology and are already struggling with insecurities due to age and other societal factors.
Social media only enhances the isolation and encourages those who feel uncomfortable outside to stay online. Many people spend hours watching others online and believe to actually understand them. That is not a healthy habit and it should not be as common as it is.
Your favorite online personality is not your friend, therapist or family. They act purely on their own interest and entertainment. It is their job to make their audience feel connected and keep watching. That does not mean they actually care about you. What
Go outside, touch some grass or better yet, talk to someone face to face. Stop relying on fake personalities to help social inadequacies that can be fixed with real connections right outside of the front door.
