This completely absolves the social media companies of their responsibilities for designing the algorithms that relentlessly funnel girls and young women into this content, even though they're well aware of the negative effects.
I get what you’re saying, and I do agree that the platforms have real responsibility here for how their algorithms are designed and what they push people towards.
But I don’t think that removes the primary role of supervision and environment either.
In an extreme example like a child being exposed to something like crack, you wouldn’t first look at the dealer - you’d also look at how a child ended up with access in the first place and what safeguards failed around them.
It’s similar here: yes, companies like TikTok shape what content gets amplified, but access, boundaries, and guidance at home still matter more in how that plays out for younger users.
Basically, it would be a non-issue if parents didn’t allow their child access to TikTok, social media, or crack....
Yes, and absolving the crack dealer and manufacturer is a bold stance. If anything, the crack comparison strengthens my fury toward at the external factors and influence that make parenting so difficult to being with. Here’s some reading comprehension for you: “it would be a non-issue if parents didn’t allow their child to access TikTok, social media, or crack.” It’s binary thinking and oversimplification of how the world works. Parent like this are the first to take credit when their child does right, and completely wash their hands when their child does wrong.
The real argument is that it’s a complex issue in our current structure unfortunately, which is a hard pill to swallow.
- parents control access…to the extent that they can
- schools influence behavior
- peers influence behavior and, in some cases, access
- platforms influence behavior
- algorithms influence exposure
Unless you’re off grid living, home teaching your kid, and their only friend, it’s a stupid take to say more parenting will prevent the issue. It’s like saying more policing will end crack. It sounds great as a simple punitive solution, but it completely ignores how the world works.
Have you ever considered a position on a daytime talk show? Yelling oversimplifications seems to be something you excel at. How many options to crack in that little metaphor of yours do you think people have access to? Ah yes, smartphones, the only technology able to access social media, the internet, trends. Certainly no other parents bought their kid crack. Famously, no needle sharing on that community.
Trying to argue with Foraday is like trying to talk to a dense brick wall or worse a MAGAT. I think you triggered them. I’m gonna tune this out but I hope you have a great day, Phainesthai, buddy.
If you read the article, the first example is encouraged by her parents. They make over £50,000 from the families combined social media accounts and the daughter (10 then, now 13) is a big part of this.
All those chemicals in those products on youth (and older) skin… meanwhile cancer rates continue to increase. The less chemicals the better imo. I think the beauty industry is largely a scam. Since i stopped wearing daily makeup my skin has completely cleared up… now in my 30s people compliment me on my skin more than ever. My secret? Stopping wearing makeup other than for special occasions and using a very simple rose oil cleanser and moisturiser
I used to wear makeup daily, and then started working outdoors, so I stopped. Hardly any acne ever again. Everyone also always compliments my skin. Makeup literally makes you breakout yall. Its an endless cycle. Plus, you are applying endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on a daily basis to one of the most absorptive parts of your body. EDCs are heavily correlated with fertility and health issues from mild problems like eczema, to severe issues like PCOS, endometriosis, cancer, and infertility. One may think we expose ourselves enough via other pathways, but studies show women are exposed more frequently to EDCs, and replacing toxic beauty products with better ones can decrease the rates of EDCs found in the body by 25-45%.
If kids are making makeup adverts for each other, and they're not being sponsored by the companies, is there anything that can even be done? Are the social media companies gonna ban kids from making content where they try on cosmetics? Are the stores going to ban under-18s from buying certain products?
I agree it's a problem but I can't think of any solutions. This market of kid to kid product sponsorship is happening on a voluntary, unofficial basis.
One idea of mine would be a social media ban for minors similar to Australia. It's not a total fix for this issue, but it's a fix for some aspects of many issues.
The solution is to change social media, obviously. The algorithms, the feeds, the notifications, the PhD designed UX refined over a decade to get people as hooked as possible.
Bill_Nihilist | 8 hours ago
Kinda hard to believe an expert academic contributed to the term "cosmeticorexia" because it translates to eating cosmetics
Phainesthai | 9 hours ago
>How girls are falling down a skincare rabbit hole
The answer of course is a lack of parental supervision and unfettered access to social media.
Diet_Coke | 9 hours ago
This completely absolves the social media companies of their responsibilities for designing the algorithms that relentlessly funnel girls and young women into this content, even though they're well aware of the negative effects.
Phainesthai | 9 hours ago
I get what you’re saying, and I do agree that the platforms have real responsibility here for how their algorithms are designed and what they push people towards.
But I don’t think that removes the primary role of supervision and environment either.
In an extreme example like a child being exposed to something like crack, you wouldn’t first look at the dealer - you’d also look at how a child ended up with access in the first place and what safeguards failed around them.
It’s similar here: yes, companies like TikTok shape what content gets amplified, but access, boundaries, and guidance at home still matter more in how that plays out for younger users.
Basically, it would be a non-issue if parents didn’t allow their child access to TikTok, social media, or crack....
foraday | 7 hours ago
This guy: “It’s the parents that are the problem.”
The CIA pumping crack into neighborhoods: “Awesome.”
Doggggggggoooooooo | 6 hours ago
That is not what he said at all. Do you have any reading comprehension?
foraday | 6 hours ago
Yes, and absolving the crack dealer and manufacturer is a bold stance. If anything, the crack comparison strengthens my fury toward at the external factors and influence that make parenting so difficult to being with. Here’s some reading comprehension for you: “it would be a non-issue if parents didn’t allow their child to access TikTok, social media, or crack.” It’s binary thinking and oversimplification of how the world works. Parent like this are the first to take credit when their child does right, and completely wash their hands when their child does wrong.
The real argument is that it’s a complex issue in our current structure unfortunately, which is a hard pill to swallow.
- parents control access…to the extent that they can
- schools influence behavior
- peers influence behavior and, in some cases, access
- platforms influence behavior
- algorithms influence exposure
Unless you’re off grid living, home teaching your kid, and their only friend, it’s a stupid take to say more parenting will prevent the issue. It’s like saying more policing will end crack. It sounds great as a simple punitive solution, but it completely ignores how the world works.
Phainesthai | 4 hours ago
>parents control access…to the extent that they can
Children cannot afford smartphones on their own.
Do not give them a smartphone.
This is not an advanced concept.
foraday | 2 hours ago
Have you ever considered a position on a daytime talk show? Yelling oversimplifications seems to be something you excel at. How many options to crack in that little metaphor of yours do you think people have access to? Ah yes, smartphones, the only technology able to access social media, the internet, trends. Certainly no other parents bought their kid crack. Famously, no needle sharing on that community.
Phainesthai | 2 hours ago
>Yelling oversimplifications
>This guy: “It’s the parents that are the problem.”
>The CIA pumping crack into neighborhoods: “Awesome.”
Phainesthai | 7 hours ago
You know people can see my comment and that your characterization is incorrect, right?
Are you ok??
foraday | 6 hours ago
The absolution of an entity and external structures I think is a fair characterization.
Doggggggggoooooooo | an hour ago
Trying to argue with Foraday is like trying to talk to a dense brick wall or worse a MAGAT. I think you triggered them. I’m gonna tune this out but I hope you have a great day, Phainesthai, buddy.
Phainesthai | an hour ago
Lol yeah.
No substance, just vibes.
thinkB4WeSpeak | 4 hours ago
Social media is just there to push products, same with influencers.
Satellight_of_Love | 6 hours ago
I know moms who feed into it. Drives me nuts.
GreenEyedTreeHugger | 4 hours ago
Vanity is definitely in style. :/
twatsmaketwitts | 5 hours ago
If you read the article, the first example is encouraged by her parents. They make over £50,000 from the families combined social media accounts and the daughter (10 then, now 13) is a big part of this.
Phainesthai | 4 hours ago
Yes, I should have written parental supervision and responsibility!
Fabulous_Soup_521 | 3 hours ago
That kid was 10? Ugh. Now that they've squeezed every penny out of adults, they've moved on to monetizing children.
I've been researching making my own lotion and cleaning products and I'm constantly surprised at how cheap the ingredients really are.
Lorry_Al | 4 hours ago
Moral panics everywhere
purplepotatogurl | 13 hours ago
All those chemicals in those products on youth (and older) skin… meanwhile cancer rates continue to increase. The less chemicals the better imo. I think the beauty industry is largely a scam. Since i stopped wearing daily makeup my skin has completely cleared up… now in my 30s people compliment me on my skin more than ever. My secret? Stopping wearing makeup other than for special occasions and using a very simple rose oil cleanser and moisturiser
Zealousideal_Let_975 | 8 hours ago
I used to wear makeup daily, and then started working outdoors, so I stopped. Hardly any acne ever again. Everyone also always compliments my skin. Makeup literally makes you breakout yall. Its an endless cycle. Plus, you are applying endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on a daily basis to one of the most absorptive parts of your body. EDCs are heavily correlated with fertility and health issues from mild problems like eczema, to severe issues like PCOS, endometriosis, cancer, and infertility. One may think we expose ourselves enough via other pathways, but studies show women are exposed more frequently to EDCs, and replacing toxic beauty products with better ones can decrease the rates of EDCs found in the body by 25-45%.
alphafox823 | 4 hours ago
If kids are making makeup adverts for each other, and they're not being sponsored by the companies, is there anything that can even be done? Are the social media companies gonna ban kids from making content where they try on cosmetics? Are the stores going to ban under-18s from buying certain products?
I agree it's a problem but I can't think of any solutions. This market of kid to kid product sponsorship is happening on a voluntary, unofficial basis.
One idea of mine would be a social media ban for minors similar to Australia. It's not a total fix for this issue, but it's a fix for some aspects of many issues.
pkaro | 3 hours ago
The solution is to change social media, obviously. The algorithms, the feeds, the notifications, the PhD designed UX refined over a decade to get people as hooked as possible.