Irresponsible of parents to push children to be influencers at young age

SHAH ALAM - Encouraging your child to take on the role of a social media influencer at such a young age is concerning and irresponsible.

While internet fame and lucrative opportunities may be tempting, exposing children to the pressures and scrutiny of the digital spotlight could have profound impacts on their mental health and development.

Social media content creator and influencer Ceddy Ang said he found it iresponsible for parents to push their young children into becoming an influencer.

"Here is the thing, there is a big misconception. You do not become an influencer; it is a title bestowed upon you by others.

"I personally would not claim to be an influencer. I create content, review food and host TV shows, that is what I do.

"An influencer is a label given to you by others. So when people give you that title, there are two ways to look at it. Are you a positive influence, or are you like those who wrongly tell students that SPM is not important?

"Parents, I understand you want your kids to gain fame, but at what cost? Why do you want your children to be famous? Everything comes at a price," he said in an interview with Sinar Daily.

He added that fame brings mental stress and unwarranted attention.

"Without a therapist, young people can easily spiral into seeking public validation, which can become addictive.

"I used to be like that, constantly worrying about becoming irrelevant if I did not post enough content on social media. That led to me churning out low-quality content with no purpose," he said.

He said content creating must be meaningful and of high quality.

Ceddy acknowledged that some people claimed that they just wanted to entertain or make others happy, but he advised against creating "foolish" content.

"I feel sorry for children facing this, bullying is serious. Adults like us feel hurt by online negativity. Imagine how kids cope.

"Is this the childhood you want for them? Parents should encourage reading, exploration and learning rather than pursuing fame, it is not worth it," he said.