As high schoolers wake up early in the morning and immediately grab their phones, it only takes a few scrolls through social media before they are lured in by an algorithm carefully curated to grab their attention. This prompts them to buy a strategically selected outfit they see online, pursue the same morning routine an influencer provided online, or recreate the same breakfast that seemed appetizing on TikTok. Teens are heavily influenced by the internet, to the point that they change their lifestyles to imitate what they see and acquire the items they desire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On social media apps, such as TikTok and Instagram, many people do not realize all the aspects of their lives that are influenced by incessant daily scrolling. According to Forbes, \u201cSocial media platforms provide the best means of communicating with young customers, the Gen-Z generation. These platforms provide a means of interaction among people in which they create, share, and exchange information and ideas.\u201d Through these platforms, many can pick up different things they see and are inspired by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can be hard to tell what is truly authentic from what\u2019s sponsored or fabricated. Whether it\u2019s an influencer\u2019s routine that is secretly enhanced by brand deals, digitally edited photos promoting an ideal body type, or health tips, the line can easily become blurred between what is true and fake. Hannah Hosseini, a sophomore at Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS), said, \u201cI don\u2019t necessarily trust any brands, so I buy a ton of clothes online from different brands and return the ones I don\u2019t like, so I learn which brands better suite me.\u201d Before she buys clothes online, she checks customer reviews because they are usually the most honest. She stated, \u201cWhen something seems too good to be true, I usually look at the customer reviews and ask people I know who have purchased the product about how it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSocial media has influenced me to buy certain items that everyone has only because it seems that everyone has it. Sometimes it\u2019s great while other times it\u2019s just another item that everyone has that I never wear.\u201d<\/p>Hannah Hosseini (10)<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Harper Ianella, a junior at PVHS said, \u201cI try to differentiate on recommendations based on if the video said it is a paid advertisement, where it\u2019s required by law to specify that it\u2019s a paid advertisement.\u201d She explained that this helps her decide whether the content is unbiased or a sponsored recommendation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many high schoolers decide who they follow based off their interests, as well as the ideas and clothes that captivate them the most. According to Opeepl, \u201cSocial media isn\u2019t just entertainment; it\u2019s the hub of youth life. It\u2019s how they discover trends, connect with communities, express identity, and yes, decide what to buy.\u201d Regan Cook, a junior at PVHS, explained that she follows content creators such as Greta Wilson and Renee Noe, saying, \u201cI normally follow influencers who have the same style as me that I can relate to.\u201d Following them has led to multiple purchases. For example, after Crumbl Cookie became popular and viral, she tried it and now goes with her friends every week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ianella said, \u201cI decide who to follow mostly based on their aesthetics so that I am shown stuff that I want to implement in my life. This includes new clothing styles, room decoration, and foods that I want to bring into my life.\u201d When they see influencers wearing clothes that matches their style, many high schoolers want to purchase them. Hosseini said, \u201cI really like Tate McRae and Madison Beer\u2019s styles a lot. Their color coordinating influences many of the shoes and outfits I wear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anderson Hall, a junior at PVHS, explained that she follows many people based off their style that she aspires to have. She stated, \u201cThey have influenced me to buy a heated eyelash curler, and now I use it every day.\u201d After seeing many people on the internet wearing the Parke sweatshirt, she bought it because she liked the style of the mock sweaters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many feel obligated to buy certain items because they are trendy for a period, but later the trend dies down. Hosseini said, \u201cSocial media has influenced me to buy certain items that everyone has only because it seems that everyone has it. Sometimes it\u2019s great while other times it\u2019s just another item that everyone has that I never wear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the internet can inspire positive habits and ideas, there is a major push for impulsive purchases and unrealistic ideals. It can be hard to differentiate between what is realistic versus what is a paid promotion. Digital advertisements have become a dominant way to capture people\u2019s interests and influence their habits, as well as impact what they buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Graphic by Philip Berkwit<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Lucia Gabriel As high schoolers wake up early in the morning and immediately grab their phones, it only takes a few scrolls through social media before they are lured in by an algorithm carefully curated to grab their attention….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[857,176,858],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/internet-shopping-graphic.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8413"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8416,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8413\/revisions\/8416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n