The Dangers of Immoral Influencers

Social media has long since had a hold over Gen Z as their primary source of timely news, ideals, and even personal values to incorporate into their lives. 

Furthermore, I have also seen multiple examples of fallacies being spread on multiple platforms, the most prominent being TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. 

A good question for the general public is whether or not they should continue giving people with skewed ideas of important characteristics a platform, despite our obligation to the First Amendment’s freedom of speech.

Young generations of kids in the more recent time have been getting access to the internet earlier and earlier as time goes on. I personally received my first phone at the age of twelve, which was considered early at the time. 

More and more, I see kids half that age walking around with more advanced phones than I have myself. 

Are kids that age educated enough in their basic common sense to self regulate what they’re watching on the internet? 

If not, should older generations be giving the wrong people on the internet such a huge following for children to model themselves after? 

Decisions like these are not shown to be made as long as I see countless creators that should not have a platform that reaches so many, if one at all.

One influencer who has attracted all the eyes of parents and children around the world in the past few months is retired kickboxer Andrew Tate. Tate went from building a more or less revered reputation as a kickboxer to an internet sensation as a business guru. His social media influence became extremely controversial when he introduced his misogynistic ideals into the way he taught. 

During his reign on his primary platform, TikTok, he constantly used the phrase, “What color is your Bugatti?”, referencing the most popular of his car collection. 

The purpose was to implement the idea that dominant traits reside in things like gender, social class, popularity and money. 

Tate, on multiple counts, stated that women were the property of men, and shouldn’t be able to participate in normal everyday activities or jobs. 

You would think that the social media community would shut down views like this, but the outcome is just the opposite. 

Even after being arrested for charges of sex trafficking and rape, Tate still has an immense following from supporters who follow his way of life.

We as the people who are responsible for what the eyes of future generations see, need to take into consideration what would be best for the collective good. 

To split a world with already divided ideals, into even more small pieces, only drives us closer to the breaking point. 

Freedom of speech and freedom of thought are incredibly important factors that make our country a democracy, but we also need to be able to draw a line for what information is actively harming people. 

Tate is only one example of social media influence that is gradually gaining support and poisoning our philosophy on what is right and wrong, and there are more that need to be restricted like he recently was.