Influencerism and Its Impact on the Development of Digital Skills Among Upper Elementary School Students

Abstract

The phenomenon of influencers has emerged from the dynamic development of social media, and their influence on society is continuously growing. These platforms provide a space for sharing personal attitudes, life experiences, and audiovisual content with a global audience. Certain demo-graphic groups are particularly susceptible to influence, especially young people, older citizens, and people with limited ability to critically evaluate information. Our research initiative focused on analyzing the impact on upper elementary school students. The primary aim of the research was to observe the growing influence of influencers in con-temporary society and to deepen our understanding of this phenomenon. Our findings reveal the dual nature of this influence: on the one hand, influencers serve as a source of inspiration and a motivating force in shaping young people's personal identities, but on the other hand, they can create unrealistic standards and expectations that arise from the consumption of their often stylized content.