Maria Ataya | The Chronicle
Social media was once a space for trends, sharing our lives and communicating. While those elements still exist, over time, these platforms have shifted into something much more influential. In recent years, I have noticed that it has become normalized for people to share opinions, beliefs and speak out on societal concerns, hoping to spread awareness. As teenagers turn to social media as a form of escape from their everyday lives, they are exposed to the vast array of viewpoints, which shapes their thoughts, values and identities.
The 2026 Grammy Awards Ceremony has taken over TikTok For You Pages (FYP’s) and swarmed Instagram feeds. While the Grammys are typically a huge night in pop culture and music, this one stuck out in more ways than one. Several celebrities spoke out on major controversial topics, publicly representing what they believe. When well-known artists and celebrities express their views, they are not only revealing their values, but they are also beginning to influence younger fanbases that look up to them. Teenagers start to form their own opinions and individuality apart from their families, turning to public figures and social media influencers for guidance. The outcome of this can go in different directions, but it all comes down to who is expressing their views and how they are communicated. These figures can educate teens and push them to care more about what’s going on around them, inspiring meaningful discussions. However, the opposite effect is also possible. Social media usually presents these moments as short clips stripped of context, which can lead to misunderstandings or overly simplified opinions. This may lead to misinformation and a lack of necessary context, resulting in teenagers forming strong opinions built on misinterpretation.
Not only do celebrities affect teenagers’ opinions, but social media algorithms do as well. Social media can often show similar opinions repeatedly or one side of an issue, just because they “interacted” with it once. When teenagers see only one side of societal issues, they are stopped from forming their own opinions. The bias and repetition created by the algorithm force teenagers to see the same viewpoint over and over, and it can start to feel like the only viewpoint, not because it is necessarily correct, but because it is constant. This repetition can shape beliefs without encouraging deeper questioning or alternative perspectives.
The 2026 Grammys proved that music, culture, and social issues are now deeply intertwined. The challenge for teenage audiences is not avoiding these conversations; it is learning how to engage with them thoughtfully instead of letting the algorithm decide what they believe. By doing further research beyond just taking the words of celebrities and reels, we can take into consideration all sides of an issue and determine what may be authentic or not. Social media can definitely be a place to start, but your learning should not end there.
