Abstract

This paper studies the impact of TikTok on the beauty standards possessed by Generation Alpha, focusing on the concept of ‘premature maturity’. Generation Alpha, born from 2010 onwards, is growing up in an era dominated by digital media, with TikTok being one of the most influential platforms shaping their perceptions of beauty. Through a combination of content analysis and qualitative research, this study explores how TikTok’s algorithm, trends and user-generated content contribute to the development of beauty ideals among the newer generation. Specifically, this study delves into the echo chambers that younger social media users face, the prevalence of teenage influencers and the alteration of youthful appearances. This paper argues that TikTok’s influence often leads to a premature maturity, when young users are exposed to and internalise unrealistic beauty standards at an early age. By examining these mechanisms, this paper sheds light on the complex relationship between social media and the formation of identity among young individuals.

Background

“Social media may have a stronger impact on children’s body image than traditional media” (Liu, 2021, p. 361). Generation Alpha, born from 2010 onwards, is the first generation to be fully immersed in the digital age from birth. Growing up surrounded by smartphones, tablets and social media platforms, the generation is highly influenced by online content, particularly on platforms like TikTok. TikTok, originally founded in September 2016 by Zhang Yiming under the name of Musical.ly, is known for its network of user-created short videos and algorithm-driven content curation (Montag et. al., 2021). Out of the estimated 834 million users of the social media platform, 1 in 4 TikTok users are under 20 years old, with 57% of them being female (Howarth, 2024). With the social media platform’s continuously increasing popularity, it has established its position as one of the four main kids’ video watching platforms, alongside YouTube, Disney+ and Netflix, proving its impact on Generation Alpha users (King, 2024).

Over recent years, the app has become a dominant force in shaping the perceptions and behaviours of young social media users (Liu, 2021). The platform’s algorithm creates echo chambers, influencing young users’ perceptions of beauty by limiting their exposure to diverse perspectives. As explored by Kennedy (2020), teenage influencers on TikTok play a significant role in shaping beauty trends and ideals among Generation Alpha, often promoting products and styles that may not be age appropriate. Additionally, TikTok often showcases kids appearing older than they are, leading to a premature maturity and potentially impacting their self-image and identity formation. Understanding these dynamics is essential for grasping the profound influence of social media on the development of beauty standards among young individuals.

Echo Chambers and Social Media Influence

TikTok is currently one of the most used social media platforms by teenagers (Rahmadiansyah et. al., 2022). TikTok’s algorithmic design, which works through prioritising content based on user interaction history, creates echo chambers that significantly influence Generation Alpha’s perception of beauty. As defined by Lund and Zhong (2018), echo chambers are social environments of reinforced beliefs and viewpoints generated by engagement with digital content. These echo chambers are virtual spaces where users are exposed to content that reinforces their existing beliefs and preferences, while limiting exposure to diverse perspectives (Gao et. al., 2023). TikTok users from Generation Alpha generate the concept of an ideal body image and ‘aesthetic’ by interacting with the algorithm-generated social environment and creating comparisons with what is being portrayed online (Rahmadiansyah et. al., 2022). Within these echo chambers, young users are often presented with a narrow range of beauty ideals that may not accurately reflect the diversity of beauty standards. The constant reinforcement of these ideals can lead to an internalisation of unrealistic beauty standards by young users, negatively shaping their self-perception and influencing their behaviour.

Social media usage provides young users numerous opportunities, but its potential to cause adverse psychological effects is a large area of concern (Ibn Auf et. al., 2023). The platforms algorithm’s emphasis on engagement metrics such as likes and shares further perpetuates the echo chamber effect. While the echo chambers are primarily formed by TikTok’s algorithm system, it is often also a result from the user’s selective exposure to consume media which they want to believe (Gao et. al., 2023). This can be done through user engagement of different levels, from simply viewing a video from start to finish or resharing it (Gao et. al., 2023). Content that aligns with popular beauty trends or conforms to dominant beauty standards is more likely to be promoted, while content that challenges these norms may be marginalised or remain unseen by many users. This echo chamber effect on TikTok contributes to the formation of a homogenised view of modern beauty among Generation Alpha, limiting their exposure to diverse representations of beauty and potentially reinforcing narrow and unrealistic standards (Liu, 2021). Understanding the impact of echo chambers on social media platforms like TikTok is crucial for addressing the influence of these platforms on the development of beauty standards among young individuals, as negative body image can often result in dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and many more problems (Ibn Auf et. al., 2023).

Teenage Influencers and Beauty Trends

Teenage influencers on TikTok play a pivotal in shaping beauty trends and ideal among Generation Alpha. The average age of the top 10 TikTok creators is 24 years old (Howarth, 2024). TikTok has always had a history of being dominated by young influencers, with all of the top seven highest earning TikTok creators of 2021 being 25 years old or younger (Howarth, 2024). With large fanbases consisting of millions of followers, these influencers have a significant sway over young users, often dictating what is considered trendy or desirable in terms of beauty. As observed by Kennedy (2020), majority of the most-followed TikTok stars are young Caucasian females showcasing feminine personalities, and typically coming from a wealthy background. 27% of TikTok creators are under the age of 18, with over half of them being female (Howarth, 2024). These influencers frequently engage in the promotion of beauty products, styles and trends, blurring the lines of personal expression and commercial endorsement. Their influence extends beyond mere products promotion; they are set standards for beauty and appearance that may not align with age-appropriate norms. A prime example of this would be the recent ‘Sephora Kids’ phenomenon, a trend spread across the internet where the young girls of Generation Alpha flock Sephora stores in search of viral skincare and makeup products promoted on social media (Herbes, 2024). As predicted by Osborne (2024), the child skincare market is expected to grow at a rate of 6 per cent each year between now and 2028.

The prevalence of teenage influencers in TikTok creates a virtual cycle where young users aspire to emulate their favourite influencers (Guo, 2022), leading to the normalisation of beauty practices that may be excessive or inappropriate for their age group. This phenomenon can contribute to a sense of inadequacy or pressure among young users, who may feel compelled to conform to these unrealistic beauty standards (Liu, 2021). This is incredibly dangerous as young users may result to taking extreme measures, such as excessive weight control and wearing heavy makeup, as an attempt to fit into the visual shell moulded by social media (Ibn Auf et. al., 2023). As young users are repeatedly exposed to beauty standards not fit or obtainable by the regular Generation Alpha child, many of them end up doubting their looks, self-presentation and even lifestyle habits (Liu, 2021). By examining the role of teenage influencers on TikTok, this study aims to highlight the influence of social media personalities on the development of beauty standards among Generation Alpha. Understanding this influence is essential for addressing the impact of social media on young individuals’ self-image and identity formation.

Altered Beauty Standards and Premature Maturity

With social media platform such as TikTok becoming a regular part of their childhood, Generation Alpha kids become unknowingly dependent on receiving their daily dose of digital media (De Lyn et. al., 2021). TikTok’s influence often leads to a phenomenon known as ‘premature maturity’ among Generation Alpha, where young users are exposed to and internalise unrealistic beauty standards at an early age. One aspect of this phenomenon is the portrayal of kids appearing to be older than they are on social media, a trend increasingly popularised by TikTok (Osborne, 2024). Early exposure to makeup, skincare and hairstyling promoted on TikTok can contribute to this premature maturity, as young users strive to emulate the beauty standards they are exposed to on the platform (Guo, 2022). Following the increased popularity of cosmetic product reviews and the Sephora Kids trend, more and more Generation Alpha kids have developed highly unnecessary, not to mention potentially harmful, skincare routines consisting of harsh chemicals and anti-aging properties, all because it is promoted on social media platforms like TikTok (Osborne, 2024). Additionally, the fashion trends promoted on TikTok often veer towards styles more suited for older age groups, future blurring the lines of age appropriate expression.

Furthermore, a common pattern noticed in young users and the platform is the nonexistence of the traditional tween ‘awkward phase’ where kids experiment with their identity and appearance as a process of growing up. Instead, young users are encourages to present themselves in ways that align with the curated aesthetics of the platform, potentially hindering their natural development and understanding of their evolving self-image (Rahmadiansyah et. al., 2022). Children between the ages of 8 and 12 are commonly known as ‘tweens’, a common wordplay to establish their liminal identity between being a child and being a teenager (De Lyn et. al., 2021). Despite their ages not meeting the legal age requirement set by the platform, the portion of tween users on TikTok still precedes other social media site such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook (De Lyn et. al., 2021). Puberty is a part of growing up for everyone, and part of puberty is the ‘awkward phase’ that we undergo. The ‘awkward phase’ refers to the time period where a tween is undergoing physical and emotional changes due to hormonal shifts, often expressed through experimental hair, makeup and fashion (Cox, 2016). Despite this being a normal occurrence, the lack of portrayal on social media platforms such as TikTok causes tweens nowadays to completely skip over this phase. Young users strive to fit the beauty standards originally set for adults, rather than exploring ways of self-expression (Adams-Smith, 2022). By examining these mechanisms through which TikTok influences Generation Alpha’s beauty standards, this study aims to shed light on the complex relationship between social media and the formation of identity among young individuals. Understanding the impact of TikTok on the premature maturity of young users is crucial for addressing the implications of social media on the development of healthy self-image and identity among Generation Alpha.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has examined the way which TikTok significantly influences Generation Alpha’s perception of beauty standards, resulting in ‘premature maturity’. By exploring echo chambers, teenage influencers and altered beauty standards, the complex relationship between social media platforms such as TikTok and the formation of identity among young users. It is highly evident that TikTok plays a significant role in shaping the perceptions and behaviours of Generation Alpha, with TikTok being one of the most used social media platforms for their demographic. The social media platform’s algorithm and teenage influencers shape unrealistic ideals for its users, impacting young users’ self-image. The phenomenon of ‘premature maturity’ observed among Generation Alpha is only a chip in the larger realm of implications which social media hold against the influence on young users.

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