I hate hate hate what social media is doing to young girls

This article explained some of the developmental risks: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/15/social-media-children-identities-behavior

Sadly so true but IME only when the parents have allowed and encouraged this behaviour. An in law is my example, she was pregnant young and very into designer labels, expensive make up, yet didn't work so only able to fund these high expectations by debt, let DD watch and do tik tok videos at a young age, so the role model was set.

Lax parenting creates DC who have far too much SM at too young an age, accompanied by DM obsessing with image themselves. Very sad.

My 10 year old is like this unfortunately. She doesn’t and has never had social media or access to it anywhere. But her friends do, and she hears all the latest ‘trending’ items which drives me mad. She wants a pair of Roller Rabbit PJs for her birthday! I’d never heard of them, had to look them up. They’re upwards of £50. She has no grasp on reality and it’s hard trying to discuss her unrealistic expectations ‘because all her friends’ allegedly have them! Which I don’t believe. But there we are. I’m still working on her. Thankfully her sister is the polar opposite.

Genuine question, what is so wrong about wanting to have certain brands or partake in activities that are not harmful to health (eg skincare) as a result of seeing them on social media? Isn't that what adults do as well? Social media is just a different form of media and replaced the same sort of content people used to get from magazines and TV. Girls magazines also had advertisements for clothing, makeup etc.

If the answer is because the brands are too expensive then it's not a flaw or fault of the platform. There's no ethically wrong reason girls are not supposed to dress in Lululemon. Their sizing is extremely small so they often fit tweens quite well. If a parent cannot afford the brand then that's an entirely different issue. A lot of accusations thrown at social media are simply because they generate requests that make parents feel inadequate about their ability to fulfil or afford what their children want. Not because the actual brand or activity is proven to be harmful in any way. (The only thing that's obviously harmful is body image, but this has been an issue way before SM. It's not like eating disorders never existed before the invention of the internet).

To be honest, I would much rather my daughter stays at home doing skincare then hanging around a parking lot getting offered cigarettes by older kids (standard thing in the 90s). A lot of parents are also unaware of the positive sides of social media. Lots of kids end up finding hobbies or special interests that keep them productively occupied for a long time. Things like drawing, crafting, Lego, Pokemon, Minecraft, video game speedruns etc. If a child is drawn to the materialistic side of SM then you need to have conversations about that if it doesn't align with your values. Personally I don't have an issue with that since I also wear Lululemon and enjoy going to Sephora, and I don't see a logical reason why DD should be banned from wanting that if she ever asks for it.

Yanbu at all and sadly it is down to parenting.

Over summer we went to a tourist attraction in France and took a family photo next to it. Beside us was another family with two girls of about 6/7 years old. The mum was posing them with one leg bent and tip toes on the floor ( why do influencers do this stupid pose?!) and showing them to purse their lips like she was. It made me feel sick.

As an aside how do you get a pin on YouTube on the TV??

Facebook may as well be called Gransnet🤣 I’m surprised his group of friends are on it and were so desperate to be on it!

Considering OP is concerned about this I am sure she does a perfectly fine job when it comes to parenting. No matter what I’m sure when she goes to school her friends talk about all these things they see on social media. Is is hard to keep kids away from such things nowadays. Do you take social media away from them? Or would they get bullied for not having it…
OP she will grow out of this. Maybe a discussion with her that these things on social media are not correct and following every trend is not something she needs to do. It’s hard I know. But I promise this will pass.

Yes, I read all of her post. I just don't understand why she vents about social media instead of the mother who's the actual problem here. The 6 year old is not supposed to see the things that get posted on social media, because 6 year olds aren't supposed to be on or use social media. It's up to the father to escalate his concerns, it's not social media that has to conform to suit a 6 year old audience.

There are 17 year olds on Facebook?! I’m quite shocked at that tbh, I thought it was only 40+ people, like me.

Did you read the OP at all? It’s clear to everyone else that the OP is the stepmum to a 6 year old who is allowed access to this crap under her mother’s roof. There is nothing OP or the child’s dad can do about it. Yes it’s the mother to blame not the content itself but your tone is very accusatory given OP can’t change anything and is venting her upset.

I can’t see the ban working for parents who either don’t care or somehow like to brag about how ‘advanced ‘ their children are because they’re encouraging them to grow up too fast. My DS is 17 but has so many friends on Facebook who are now apparently well into their 20s because their parents allowed them to lie about their age in order to open accounts.

Thankfully she's got u and your partner to steer her in the right direction! I also think it's sad and awful. My neice wouldn't go in the sea/beach because it would ruin her hair/look when not much older .WTF?
Boys aren't subjected to this crap - I feel like we're hurtling back in time re feminism. Also hate pamper parties for young girls - all just so depressing.

I didn't say it's your fault, I specifically said the fault lies with the other parent that allows their 6 year old on social media. I called you out specifically for blaming social media for the impact it has on 6 year olds, because the platforms aren't intended for 6 year olds in the first place. You have to be 13 to use them. You can't blame the fire for burning you if you stick your hand in it. That was my point.

Yeah it's not social media's fault. Tiny kids should not have unlimited unrestricted access to it. What on earth does the mum think she's doing?

I hope the kid also has plenty of age appropriate hobbies you can encourage?

Social media is poison for kids.

That's awful she's being allowed to access that content at such a young age.

At 6 years old, you wouldnt have been reading Just17 anyway. Its not a good comparison, previous generations haven't had to grow up with this kind of mass grooming at such a young age.

No offence, but in this particular scenario it's not social media that's the problem. The problem is that someone in your family setup allows a 6 year old on social media. All these platforms say you have to be at least 13 years old to use them, and you are not adhering to these rules. How is that TikTok's fault? This is 100% on you.

I still think 13 is way too young to use social media, but 6 year olds on TikTok is negligence on parents' part.

That poor kid, having access to social media at her age- you’re right to be concerned. I have a 6 year old daughter and she still watches CBeebies and plays with toys. I don’t think she’s particularly young for her age- most of the kids in her class seem to be the same.

My girls havent seen or been into that on youtube. But i just hate how rudely everyone talks on there and the complete rubbish content.

I wasnt so against phones and SM but its bad effects have really started to hit.
i think as well games/tv/you tube etc puts kids off goibg out doing things

@catcat9719you need to get her a hobby, dance, horse riding, swimming, anything.

My DD is plenty older than yours but she also went through a phase of clothes, make up, skincare etc. We indulged her a little but she was absolutely told no to anything we thought inappropriate.

She's now in secondary and although she spends time on social media she really isn't bothered. So many of her peers seem to do absolutely nothing outside of school apart from scroll tiktok - but she's far too busy riding the horses to be interested in whatever drama is happening on social media.

I'm not saying you should go out and buy a horse, but anything to get her out and involved in something in the outside world will do wonders. Clearly her mum is pretty useless but unfortunately you can't control that 🤷‍♀️

I’m not sure why anyone thinks the incoming ban will make any difference to parents already abandoning young children to social media. The government aren’t going to be sending inspectors round to keep kids off phones. They’ll just carry on thinking they and their kids are different and it’s up to them to parent as they wish. Like turkey twizzlers through the school fence.

Because the mum is an idiot. Nothing OP or her partner can do about the other household’s negligence.

Why has your 6 year old got access to social media.