Social media has become increasingly popular and is a major part of modern life, shaping opinions, behaviors, and norms. It is useful for marketing and connecting with people, but it can also be very influential in positive and negative ways. The rise of trends and challenges across apps like TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube can be entertaining, but they also come with physical and mental risks. Social media trends and challenges affect society as a whole and it can be seen through the positive and negative impacts.
Social media trends have many beneficial aspects to it including fun activities, healthy habits, and creative expressions. These trends and challenges can be an outlet for creativity and allow people to express themselves. Dances, art, fashion, and DIY projects, are some examples of artsy trends. These allow people to showcase their talents and gain recognition. Gaining recognition allows them to feel validated while also gaining money from it. Additionally, the surge in promoting healthy habits and encouragement for a healthy lifestyle has been popular as well. There are plenty of challenges that motivate people to exercise and inspire them to improve their well-being. Activities such as the 10,000-step challenge, home workouts, and healthy recipes encourage people to prioritize themselves and their health. Jillian De La Cruz (10) was inspired by trending food videos on TikTok and stated, “I decided to make the creamy smoothie bowls and they were delicious and flavorful. It was fun customizing my bowl and as a bonus, it’s a good healthy snack to have.” People follow these trends and challenges in hopes of staying creative and expressive while also maintaining good health.
However, social media trends and challenges also have negative effects. They can have negative consequences, some even being fatal. Challenges like the “Tide Pod Challenge,” “Cinnamon Challenge” and the “Milk Crate Challenge” pose major dangers and can cause injuries or even fatalities if serious enough. Despite the risks, people follow through with the challenges with the desire for online fame and social validation. Furthermore, a major problem for younger generations is the unhealthy and unrealistic beauty trends. Filters and beauty standards can lead to body-image issues and low self-esteem, which is detrimental to young and developing minds. Morgan Spillane (10) shares her thoughts and says, “The constant exposure to these beauty trends can create unrealistic beauty standards and can lead to a cycle of self-hate.” Society feels pressured to conform to beauty trends to be recognized as “beautiful” and stay relevant. It makes one feel insecure and contributes to anxiety and depression, especially in teenagers.
Society contributing to trends and challenges is inevitable, but individuals should think before participating and engaging with it. Before participating, think about the risks and whether it’s something one wants to do. If a trend creates a negative experience for an individual, do not be afraid to disengage with it and avoid participation. Your mental health and safety should be a priority and you shouldn’t feel pressured to follow trends. These trends and challenges are always changing and impact society continuously. Trends and challenges serve as a platform for creativity and self-improvement, but it is also important to be aware of the health, safety, and mental well-being risks.
