In Your Opinion, Are Virtual Influencers a Danger to Young People?- By Belkisa Muço

January 27, 2025

Parents are being made aware of the many risks their children face on social media—but for what reason? It might have something to do with the rise of deep fakes or the newest trend: virtual influencers and online personas.

These days, people seem to know more about artificial intelligence and social media than almost any other topic. The people we follow on these platforms are called digital influencers. But now, apart from them, we have a new type of influencer: virtual influencers. They’re seen as the newest, biggest threat to young people.

The best solution is to inform parents or legal guardians about these risks. But what’s the purpose? Researchers and psychologists say that virtual influencers mimic deep psychological processes in their viewers, making it easy to “manipulate” young people. As more attention is brought to this issue, and as more awareness is raised, young people are being encouraged to distance themselves from social media so they don’t risk being manipulated by virtual influencers. But isn’t it ironic? They might avoid being “brainwashed” by virtual influencers, only to be “brainwashed” by the people telling them to stay away. Either way, it’s still a deep psychological process at work.

It goes without saying that with today’s advanced, top-notch technology—and the many resources that provide information about social media and digital platforms—almost anyone can create a virtual influencer if they set their mind to it. During school, many young people get into the world of online influencers as a quick way to make money. They might even claim that it’s such a good option that they drop out of school. But for most of them, the money they earn isn’t enough. So they go back to school, but this time, they study a field they’re passionate about—like engineering or technology—to pursue their original goal, only more professionally and with the potential to earn a higher salary.

Later, they might even start their own business or create a virtual influencer to influence young people, just as they were once influenced. Maybe it seems like dropping out of school and becoming successful has gone too far, but not necessarily. We use social media platforms every day, and many of them were created by highly successful people—some of whom are among the richest in the world. Believe it or not, many of these entrepreneurs dropped out of school too. And now, not only are they some of the most influential people, but they are also the executives behind social media platforms that host virtual influencers. These influencers can end up being role models, encouraging people to explore their potential, develop their skills, and maybe even create something just as incredible.

Influencers come in all forms, and no matter how hard you try to avoid them—whether they’re virtual or not—you’ll always be influenced by someone or something. So, in the end, there’s no real difference between avoiding virtual influencers and avoiding other types of influencers. One thing is certain: influencers are here to stay, and they won’t be going away anytime soon.