Social networks are a relatively new phenomenon: the official starting point for social networking history is 2004, the year Facebook was launched. Subsequently, other social networks such as MySpace, Twitter, Venmo, and recently TikTok became well-known and used by many people. Social networks are especially crucial for young groups since they provide almost all the tools for self-expression and communication. The resources available through social media are perfectly adapted to meet the key needs of young individuals – communicating with peers, overcoming feelings of loneliness, and establishing personal identity. According to the researchers, “online displays of alcohol behavior have been correlated with offline alcohol behavior and risky drinking” (Moreno & Whitehill, 2014, p. 91). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effects and efficiency of social media in raising awareness of alcohol as a health risk factor and decreasing alcohol consumption among youth.
Young People and Social Networking
Today, only in rare cases one can find a person who has no registered personal account in at least one of the currently popular social networks. Young people, however, behave quite differently in social media compared to older generations. The level of trust towards social media influencers and their content is significantly higher in adolescents than in grown adults. The latter are considerably more sceptical given their age and experience. Young people view influencers like friends whose opinions, choices, and recommendations they like to follow. It is definitely a decisive factor in raising awareness among young people of such topics as climate change, career choices, promotion of healthy life choices, and exercise. However, according to recent research, 113 out of 178 influencers had a least one alcohol-related post among the last 100 posts, increasing the perception that “drinking alcohol is normal and fun” (Hendriks et al., 2020, p. 4). Alcohol posts are often presented as part of a positive, socially popular, and entertaining lifestyle. Given the potentially powerful impact influencers have on young people, and their natural responsiveness to suggestion, it is crucial to develop campaigns that help to raise awareness of health issues early alcohol consumption may have.
Social Media Efficacy to Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol is one of the most common recreational drugs used by people. Even though it is undeniably harmful to everyone, damages it causes in the development of young adults and teens are significantly more severe. Several cross-sectional surveys were conducted by a group of researchers in Denmark to see how a mass media campaign can raise awareness of the relationship between alcohol consumption and increased risk of cancer. According to the research results, a significantly higher number of respondents supported proposed policies on banning alcohol advertising, age limits, and mandatory nutrition labeling post-campaign (Plum Christensen et al., 2019, p. 3).
Another study conducted by a group of researchers in the UK was focused on reviewing the evidence that social media health campaigns have a positive effect on reducing alcohol consumption. The results of the study showed that there is little evidence of the impact health campaigns may have on alcohol consumption itself. However, such interventions are a positive “harm-reduction strategy,” increasing awareness and “potentially contributing to changing harmful drinking norms and helping to set the agenda for alcohol policy change” (Young et al., 2018, p. 314). Therefore, the effect of social media campaigns and programs intended to reduce alcohol consumption among young people maybe not immediate, but long-term.
Young people’s alcohol abuse is considered to be one of the most critical problems of today’s health system. Social media is a powerful tool for influencing adolescents and young adults in their lifestyle choices. On the one hand, alcohol-related content posted by influencers, direct and indirect advertising contributes to increased alcohol consumption. On the other hand, using the same media channels may help raise awareness of alcohol as a threat to healthy development. Social networks possess the necessary tools and data to restrict access to alcohol content to those who are not of legal drinking age. Thus, social media campaigns should focus on protecting consumers, especially the youth and minors, from alcohol-related posts, images, and advertising.
References
Hendriks, H., Wilmsen, D., Van Dalen, W., & Gebhardt, W. A. (2020). Picture me drinking: Alcohol-related posts by Instagram influencers popular among adolescents and young adults. Frontiers in Psychology 10(2991), pp. 1–9.
Moreno, M. A., & Whitehill, J. M. (2014). Influence of Social Media on Alcohol Use in Adolescents and Young. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 36(1), p. 91–100.
Plum Christensen, A. S., Hagelskær Meyer, M. K., Dalum, P., & Krarup, A. F. (2019). Can a mass media campaign raise awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer and public support for alcohol-related policies?Preventive Medicine, 126, p. 1–7.
Young, B., Lewis, S., Katikireddi, S. V., Bauld, L., Stead, M., Angus, K., Campbell, M., Hilton, S., Thomas, J., Hinds, K., Ashie, A., & Langley, T. (2018). Effectiveness of mass media campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption and harm: A systematic review. Alcohol and Alcoholism 53(3), pp. 302–316.