Stop watching Streamers.

• I want to prefix my post in saying, I don’t have an issue with people that watch streamers out of entertainment and don’t believe everything they watch is real. I love television, films, anime, sports, and video games so I am aware of the dangers of ANY form of entertainment past a healthy moderation.

As someone who has been deep in the loop and was addicted to watching streamers during the pandemic, Its getting real scary out here for the youth. There were always parasocial relationships between the viewers and celebrities in the past, but ever since the pandemic Ive noticed how marketing towards parasocial fans is the new business model. Communities are moving like cults and celebrities turning up the God complex.

As someone who has dealt with social anxiety and some depression in the past, I know what its like to feel like you are part of a loving community, and you get to watch someone you are fond of get what they worked hard for. But it gets to a point. Yeah I don’t mind hearing opinions on videogames, sports, or shows that I watch. There is nothing wrong with even watching reaction content . But there are now hundreds and maybe even thousands of kids vicariously living through the “glamorous” lifestyle of their idols. There are people that watch “creators” go to parties, drink tons of alcohol, being hyper-sexual live for several hours a week. There are teenagers watching “creators” with curated personalities tell them that they need clear skin, a perfect body, and strict diet. There are teenagers who are deceived into believing something that isn’t true or is very offensive. Worst of all, there are creators that make you believe that their community, and by extension their corner of the internet, is a safe place. Some kids genuinely find more solace in a social media personality than anyone else in their life and its sad, but also dangerous.

I shouldn’t need to explain how disgusting this shit gets. I’m not psychologist or neurologist, but this can’t possibly be healthy to sit and watch people live out their lives while you escape from your own. I spent 4 years slowly being engrossed into the lives of streamers instead of building relationships and dealing with my own mental health.

If you are a parent, or plan on being one in the future, protect your children. There are no safe spaces on the internet. Once again its about balance and moderation rather than abstinence and prevention. They DO NOT care about you, its actually safer for them to care as less about you as possible.