Justine Atlan was a guest on France Culture's 12:30 news programme, yesterday. When asked about the issue of the influence that influencers and popular personalities on social media can have on young audiences, she replies:
«The difficulty today is that the personalities most popular with young people are now accessible on the phone, i.e. a very personal item. So there you are, aged 16, in your bedroom, lying on your pillow, feeling as though you're talking live on the phone to this famous person who everyone dreams about and who you yourself are completely fascinated by... That already creates a pretence of an intimate, private relationship, object to object, with these private messaging services. And completely distorts the relationship. This allows us, when we are vulnerable and potentially fascinated, to let ourselves be drawn into committing acts that we would not necessarily have accepted otherwise, in order to please others or be loved.»
She also emphasised the specific nature of adolescence in relation to this issue: «At this age, we tend to mix everything up a bit, to confusing being liked with being loved for who you are »
Raise awareness among children
She also reiterated the importance of educating her children and teenagers about these issues of risks and potential predators on social media.
«Parents often find it difficult to talk about these issues. But Not talking about it makes your child/teenager fragile and vulnerable; talking about it gives them the means to defend themselves.. »
Finally, on the issue of the lack of regulations in force on the subject, she stated:
«Influencers have a such a strong impact on society, especially young people, which obviously must provide them with more guidance. This involves digital platforms and, of course, public authorities, which are responsible for protecting the public interest in the face of these private actors seeking to gain clicks and audience share through these influencers.»
