Cautions for Content Creators

Kimura Carlsten

Everyone I know wants to be an influencer. Sure, it’s a fun job that comes with the perks of brand deals and fame, but what about the side of teen influencers that no one talks about? It’s surely not all fun and games

Ashley Barnes joined TikTok at the age of 14. Her account seemingly blew up overnight, amassing over 3.5 million followers. During her time on the internet, she’s always been honest about her mental health, and she’s talked openly about how her ongoing legal battles and depression have affected her. Her platform and videos have given her audience – even the most secluded – a home and a deeper connection to Barnes's life.

Barnes’ follower count kept growing until her downfall came this August. At one of the Los Angeles parties that she is famous for, many teens made claims on social media of Barnes pressuring her attendees to drink alcohol, consume THC gummies, and partake in sexual activities. To conclude this night, allegations formed that Barnes encouraged someone to cheat on his girlfriend of four months.

After these accusational videos were posted, Barnes stayed silent; her account was inactive. Rumors spiraled, and the internet took matters into its own hands. At first, the attacks on her were virtual, only losing millions of followers; however, as time went on, it took a turn for the worse.  People started going out of their way to film Barnes whenever they saw her in public. Not only that, she was doxxed on multiple occasions. These inexcusable allegations have now caused major controversy because, while she might have been responsible for these actions, this shouldn’t hurt her in real life.

In an apology video posted by Barnes, she claims that after the incident, she was sent to rehab for substance abuse issues. She stated that social media had consumed her life. Once money got involved, it didn’t matter what she wanted to do. All that mattered to her and the people around her was the next video she needed to produce.

Exploitation is a big problem in the realm of influencers. Just like with Barnes, social media takes over these teens’ lives. One teen influencer, Piper Rockelle, grew up being a child star, and her entire life has been documented.

Now, Piper has moved her brand onto TikTok with more than 17 million followers.  A popular TikTok account showcasing a group of adult content creators has recently been under fire for exploitative activities with Rockelle. Back in January, Rockelle and this content house collabed, even though Rockelle was only 17 years old. In some videos, she wore revealing clothing that contributed to the public’s opinion that this situation is a case of exploitation. It’s obviously not legal for a minor to post any explicit content, but they constantly threw hints about it. This pushes the limits of child safety on the internet. Often, when social media influence is incentivized with money, people forget there’s a human in front of the camera. 

These are only a couple of many examples of the dangers social media can bring. Social media pushes into personal lives, making it almost impossible to remain sane. Still, do you want to be an influencer?