Learn About Influencers
Influencers, streamers and creators play a big part in young people’s everyday lives. They entertain, educate, inspire, and sometimes feel like friends, mentors or role models. This can create one-way relationships, where a young person feels emotionally connected to someone who doesn’t know they exist. These relationships can be positive, but sometimes create pressure or unrealistic expectations.
In a nutshell
Influencers are people who share content online to inform, entertain, teach or promote products. They build communities and shape trends, and are often paid for the content they create in exchange for promoting a particular brand or product. They also earn money from the platforms via affiliate marketing and content engagement.
Influencers and content creators are deemed successful or not by the number of followers and volume of interactions they get online. It is common for a para-social relationship (one-way relationship) to develop, which is when their followers:
- Feel close to them
- Trust their advice
- Relate to their personality or story
- Feel emotionally invested in their life
5-minute whānau safety check
- We’ve talked about how content creators and influencers make money
- We’ve explained what sponsorships and ads look like
- We’ve discussed emotional boundaries with online figures
- We know how to report harmful or worrying content
- My child knows it’s OK to unfollow creators who make them feel bad
What to expect
If your child is following partiuclar content creators you might notice that they are:
- Quoting influencers
- Following trends closely
- Comparing themselves to creators
- Wanting products they promote
- Feeling upset when creators take breaks or face drama
- Watching “day in my life” content repeatedly
Following influencers and creators can reflect emotional investment, not necessarily an immediate risk. But, if your child’s mood depends heavily on a creator’s content, or if they seem overly invested in an influencer’s approval or attention it might be time for a gentle check in.
What's the up-side?
Young people may feel a number of benefits from following content creators online
Inspiration & motivation
Creators can spark creativity, new hobbies, learning and cultural pride.
Representation
Influencers often share diverse voices and identities that some rangatahi may not see offline.
Connection & belonging
Communities around creators feel like shared interest spaces.
Education
Many creators teach real skills, from editing to cooking to te reo Māori.
Seeing creators who look like me made me feel less alone
Youth Participant
No Single Online Experience – Youth Roadshow Report 2025
What's the flip-side?
Comparison & self-esteem
Creators often show highlight reels, not real life. This can make young people feel behind, unskilled or “not enough.”
Hidden advertising
Influencers earn income through sponsorships, affiliate links and product placement. Not all disclose clearly.
Unrealistic lifestyles
The perception of influencers having perfect routines, bodies, homes and achievements can distort expectations, and doesn't show what's happening off-camera.
Emotional over-attachment
Feeling responsible for a creator’s wellbeing or drama can feel heavy for young people.
Pressure to buy or conform
Statements like “everyone has this" and “this changed my life” are designed to persuade, coerce or sell.
Creator drama
Public conflicts can confuse or distress rangatahi who feel personally invested in who they're following.
Safety Check
- Teach your child how to spot paid promotions
- Encourage them to use the “Not Interested” feature in recommended content / ads to adjust recommendations
- Encourage a regular review of who they're following and unfollowing creators who's content raises feelings of stress or comparison
- Keep an eye out for unhealthy patterns (sleep loss, overspending, fixation)
Top Tips
Click on each block to learn more about how you can support your whānau to find balance with screentime and screen use.
Ask who they follow and what they enjoy.
- “What do you like about this creator?”
- “What’s the latest reel about from that creator you like?"
- "Who are you following at the moment? What do you like about them?"
Finding ways to have small and regular chats about online life create rapport and build trust.
When you’re checking in about their day, include a few questions about life online as well.
Normalise conversations about what’s real versus curated, and how ads and sponsorship work in social media, by commenting on things you see:
- “This looks like an ad, what do you think?”
- "What a life these people lead, do you think it’s all as good as it looks?"
Watch a short clip together and talk about what might be edited, staged or sponsored.
Practice unfollowing someone and talk about when it might be a good idea to review who we follow and why.
Do an audit of your own followed accounts and talk about who you might want to unfollow and why.
Ask about boundaries and what makes a healthy connection with an online personality, versus an unhealthy one.
Celebrate when they unfollow creators who make them feel pressured or unhappy and encourage diversity in the people they follow.
Validate the connection they feel with the people they follow online; don’t dismiss the importance of creators, but acknowledge the meaning while providing guidance.
Need help right now?
If you would like any advice or support about keeping your whānau safe online Netsafe can help.
Contact the helpline for free, confidential and non-judgemental advice and support.
