If you’re in your early thirties, you have witnessed the development of social media networks. You were one of the first users, and you probably remember the early days of Myspace and Facebook. Soon enough, there will be two decades since we were first exposed to what’s today known as social media platforms. Today, children are born into them. Kids encounter social media platforms from an early age. They are exposed to computers, smartphones, and the internet more than ever before. A new study showed that some 4-year-olds who access social platforms spend 21 minutes daily on social media. It’s the culture of today; it’s the time we’re living in. It is hard to keep children away from the good and the bad sides of the internet.
When you use social media platforms the right way, they are great. But it is easy to get over to the dark side. Children are especially exposed to both sides equally. But we can’t argue social media is changing the landscapes of our lives, both personal, professional, and economic. Children’s futures are being redefined as we speak. It is happening in many ways and on many levels. Today, there are many children on social media. It is a trend. It will not go away.
As we said, they are exposed to the internet and everything it brings to the table from an early age. It affects their youth, but it also affects their future. Thanks to platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, kids see their present and their future differently than they used to. Because of this, they tend to select different career paths than their older siblings or parents did. The economic opportunities differ too. This can be seen at every step. It is easy to understand why things are like this.
We have jobs today that didn’t even exist a few years ago. Some occupations arose, others died off, or simply lost their popularity. Today too many kids want to be influencers, and they fail to see how an electrician would be beneficial to society. Yes, many kids fail to see their career paths with the same eyes their parents did. Things have changed, and they will most likely never be the same again. Due to the technological advancements we have today, our society is moving fast forward. Children are the first age group that will feel this later on their skin, while they’re slowly being adapted to changes right now.
How Career Paths Changed Due to Social Media?
This is easy to notice and understand. For many people of our generation, it was all about going to school, to college, and getting a job in your branch. Law school and medical school were the norms. Today you won’t hear a kid stating that he wants to be a doctor or a policeman. Social media paints that picture. Due to police brutality videos and all the negative attention police receive, fewer kids want to be a policeman or a fireman, for example. Everyone wants to be an influencer, a YT personality, or a TikTok star. This is understandable. You won’t see a policeman bragging about a lavish lifestyle on social media platforms. Various newborn stars will do precisely this. Today, kids know that you can make a lot of money by making videos on TikTok or YT. It’s not only that. But, we also have many jobs tied to working from home and on the internet. These job opportunities are attractive to kids. No one is advertising a life as a soldier or a truck driver. Yes, people will still do these jobs, as they will be needed, but the focus of today’s kids is not on them.
We also can notice the trend where everyone is someone on social media platforms. Children will seek not only that they do interesting jobs but also that they get paid well and that they hold a certain degree of fame. This will not be possible for everyone, but the trend exists. There are numerous new career paths created by social media. For one, you have the digital marketing sphere. It opened doors to many other jobs in this department. How about being a content manager? These jobs have existed for some time now. They’re fun. They create income. Today you can be a manager of an online community and get paid to do it. There are many types of social media specialists and commentators. SEO experts and engagement coordinators. These are all career paths that are interesting to the kids of today. You cannot only live by being in touch with social media, but you can also earn by criticizing it. Making a career on social media following and working on creating and analyzing content on these platforms is a great way to make an earning.
What Economic Opportunities Does Social Media Bring?
All of them. There is money to be made on the internet. The global market was never closer. It is not close. It is in the palm of our hands. We can see it, we can feel it, and in the end, we can control it. Economic opportunities have never been greater than they’re today. They’re easy to spot, and you can do it from the warmth of your home. Today, kids are not only exposed to social media they can also benefit economically from it. That’s right. We’re not talking about child exploitation. Instead, kids can make a few additional bucks if they use their skills and knowledge the right way. We have a few underage TikTok stars to prove this.
Bottom Line
Kids who are exposed to the internet and the positive sides of social media from an early age will have better chances to make financial use of them when the time comes. You can earn as a teenager the same amount of money your parents earned on their full-time jobs back in the day by only being present on social media platforms and following trends. Economic opportunities wait on every corner. Today, they’re redefined. But, who’s better to get the hang of them than the young minds of our youngest ones? That’s why they can be an Instagram chef making millions from sponsors rather than working all day long in a restaurant. Now, that’s an opportunity.
