Social media platforms offer unprecedented exposure for content creators. When those creators are adolescents and teenagers, the responses to the content can have impacts at a time when they are developing their identities. Young people share their passions and talents, often to gain attention and an audience of followers. They can get validation, find community and even create income, but can also suffer criticism.
On this episode of Newhouse Impact, Dr. Rebecca Ortiz, Associate Professor of Advertising at the Newhouse School of Communications, shares insights from her study into creators who started sharing content while under age 18. The ongoing study, conducted along with Professors Kelly Leahy and Srivi Ramasubramanian, as well as master's student Sophia Condemi, is called “The Promises and Perils of Being a Popular Youth Online Content Creator.” Ortiz shares what they found about the reactions creators received from their posts and the impacts the experiences had.
Newhouse Impact is a collaboration between WAER and the Newhouse School of Public Communications with help from the office of Dr. Regina Lutrell. Research and guest scheduling help from Chris Fiegel.
Music in this episode is Underpass by Golden Grey
