Left to Their Own Devices: “Under the Influence”

Podcast: Left To Their Own Devices
Host: Toronto Star
Episode: Under the Influence (Ep. 8)
Date: November 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores how social media and influencer culture have radically transformed childhood and adolescence for Generation Z. Ava Smithing, who experienced firsthand the dangers of an unfiltered digital world, investigates how children’s lives and identities are shaped—often dramatically—by their online presence. Through in-depth interviews and personal stories, “Under the Influence” examines the complex dynamics of public childhoods, influencer aspirations, beauty standards, online abuse, and the evolution of digital empowerment, particularly for marginalized voices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Accident to Algorithm: Early Viral Fame

• Story of Ghislaine Raza (“Star Wars Kid”)
  • In 2002, teenager Ghislaine Raza’s private video was uploaded without his consent, rapidly turning him into an Internet meme and subjecting him to relentless bullying, ultimately forcing him to drop out ([00:06]-[01:46]).
  • Ava: “We’re all a little bit like Ghislaine Raza now, growing up online, one post away from being in full view of the public.” ([01:46])
  • Emphasizes the shift from accidental virality to algorithm-driven curation and the inherent vulnerabilities.

2. The Rise of the Influencer Generation

• Desire for Influence

  • 57% of Gen Z report wanting to be influencers—a role that requires transforming everyday life into content ([03:42]-[04:11]).
  • Ava: “The idea of posting the most intimate moments of my life online gives me hives. But I think I might be in the minority.” ([03:59])

• Sophie Fergie’s Story

  • Began posting at 9-10 years old; now has 5.9 million TikTok followers ([04:01]).
  • Finds both community and validation online, especially after facing bullying offline ([06:34]).
  • Sophie: “It was cool that like, strangers I didn’t know liked me… We’re all friends.” ([06:34])
  • Living publicly brought both opportunity and pain: “I was bullied in school, so not a lot of people liked me. So it was cool that… all of you guys like me.” ([06:34])
  • Sophie's popularity is not for performance, but for being relatable: “I like to, you know, consider myself a person who posts, I guess, a person who’s active on social media.” ([04:51])

3. The Double-Edged Sword of Visibility

• Online Hate and Its Impact

  • Sophie experienced significant online bullying, particularly about her appearance, which affected her self-esteem and choices such as getting lip fillers at 18 ([08:18]-[08:56]).
  • Sophie: “With the comments that got me the most were mainly about my lips… But those definitely made me think twice and made me like really question, like, oh, maybe if I changed, I’d be cuter.” ([08:18])
  • Ava points out the cycle: Influencers respond to online criticism with appearance changes, setting new standards for younger audiences ([08:59]).

• Cultural Spread

  • Younger children emulate influencers: “This may be why we now have sephora tweens. 11 year old girls who spend hundreds of dollars on skincare and makeup.” ([09:32])
  • Boys are similarly pressured by trends like “looks maxing” and “smell maxing” ([09:54]-[10:16]).

4. Beyond Vanity: Deeper Drivers & Dilemmas

• Are Kids Becoming More Self-Obsessed?
  • Psychologist Jean Twenge, cited by journalist Taylor Lorenz, questions whether influencer culture is increasing narcissism, or simply shifting the locus of adolescent anxiety from “attention seeking” to “not measuring up” ([10:49]-[11:14]).
  • Ava recognizes that social media amplifies and accelerates long-standing beauty pressures, exposing kids to them earlier than ever ([11:14]).

5. The Democratic Side of Social Media

• Voices Unheard

  • Taylor Lorenz contextualizes influencer culture as an outgrowth of the quest for self-representation, especially for marginalized communities ([12:33]-[15:44]).
  • Early bloggers and mommy bloggers provided outlets for women and LGBTQ people when mainstream media didn’t reflect their realities.
  • Taylor Lorenz: “People like to push this idea to young people that, oh, before the Internet… it was great. No, it wasn’t. It was actual hell for so many people, especially women and marginalized people.” ([16:08])
  • Influencer culture democratizes speech, allowing anyone to bypass old media restrictions.

• Notable Example: Monica Lewinsky

  • Ava and Taylor discuss how the media vilified Lewinsky in the ‘90s, preventing her from telling her own story—a situation unimaginable in today’s social media era ([16:37]-[17:48]).
  • Taylor Lorenz: “[Lewinsky] had no voice to speak out, no voice to tell her story. Now she’s been… vindicated and through really using the Internet to take back her voice.” ([17:37])

• Activists & Influencer Overlap

  • Young influencers use their platforms to push for change: examples include Little Miss Flint, Ukrainian influencer Valerish, and Palestinian activist Yaqeen Haman ([18:06]-[18:15]).
  • Ava: “The line between activist and lifestyle influencer may be blurrier than we think.” ([19:12])

6. Empowerment vs. Toxicity: The Paradox

• Sophie’s Own Experience with Abuse and Using Her Voice

  • Sophie describes opening up about personal abuse through her podcast, spurring others to share their stories ([19:38]-[21:20]).
  • Sophie: “I had people DMing me, like, wow, I’m very inspired by you. And I’m gonna go speak out about what’s been happening at home…” ([20:54])
  • This illustrates both the reach and power of influencer platforms in supporting mental health and resilience.

• Unresolvable Tension?

  • Ava frames the conflict: social media can be “deeply empowering and incredibly toxic” at the same time ([21:29]).
  • Taylor Lorenz challenges the notion that these issues are unique to social media: “The Internet is downstream from culture, and so it sort of holds a mirror to culture, and our culture is regressing.” ([22:13])

7. The Roots of Influence: Security over Fame

• Why Do Kids Really Want to Be Influencers?
  • Taylor Lorenz asserts it’s less about fame, more about control and stability:
    • “Most of them actually are very uncomfortable with fame… When you talk to them, they want security.” ([22:50]-[22:59])
    • Sophie: “I think I am so blessed to be where I am.” ([23:02]-[23:16])
  • The influencer economy is a product of economic forces:
    • Taylor Lorenz: “They want economic security, and they’ve seen that that can be had through the Internet… I think it’s dystopian… What is more capitalist than commodifying your very self and every aspect of your life?” ([23:16])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ava Smithing on the universality of online vulnerability:
  • “I think we’re all a little bit like Ghislaine Raza now, growing up online, one post away from being in full view of the public.” ([01:46])
• Sophie Fergie, on why kids share online:
  • “It was cool that like, strangers I didn’t know liked me… We’re all friends.” ([06:34])
  • “If you’re putting yourself on social media, you have to realize that you are putting yourself out there…” ([07:38])
• Taylor Lorenz on media gatekeeping and the Internet’s potential:
  • “The Internet is downstream from culture, and so it sort of holds a mirror to culture, and our culture is regressing.” ([22:13])
• Sophie Fergie on using her influence for good:
  • “That’s so important to me, that, like, if you’re going through something, that I could help you kind of feel more comfortable to talk about it.” ([21:20])
• Taylor Lorenz on the reality behind influencer dreams:
  • “What is more capitalist than commodifying your very self and every aspect of your life?” ([23:16])

Important Timestamps

• [00:06] – Ava recounts “Star Wars Kid” and the first viral video
• [03:42] – Poll statistic: 57% of Gen Zs want to be influencers
• [04:01]-[06:05] – Sophie Fergie’s rise as a child influencer
• [08:18]-[08:59] – Sophie’s experience with online bullying and resulting self-image issues
• [09:32]-[10:16] – The impact of influencer culture on “Sephora tweens” and boys’ looksmaxing
• [12:33]-[15:44] – Interview with Taylor Lorenz on the democratization of media
• [16:37]-[17:48] – Discussion on Monica Lewinsky and the power of self-narration
• [19:38]-[21:20] – Sophie Fergie uses her platform to discuss abuse and receive support from fans
• [22:50]-[23:16] – Why Gen Z wants influence: security vs. fame
• [23:46]-[24:49] – Episode conclusion, previewing next episode topics (digital addiction)

Tone and Style

The episode blends investigative journalism with personal vulnerability and empathy. Ava’s tone is reflective, often caught between concern and admiration for teens’ ability to create meaning in a confusing digital world. Sophie’s voice is candid and relatable, emblematic of the generation trying to find community and self-worth online. Taylor Lorenz brings critical context, challenging easy criticisms of influencer culture and foregrounding broader societal drivers.

Takeaways

• Social media has rewritten the rules of adolescence: Kids are navigating new (often public) terrains, with far-reaching implications for identity, self-esteem, and community.
• Influencer culture is both an opportunity and a hazard: While it democratizes speech and offers marginalized teens a platform, it also commodifies personal life and distributes toxic pressures.
• The conversation is nuanced: Problems attributed to the “evils” of social media are, in fact, reflections of preexisting societal values; the line between empowerment and exploitation remains blurred.
• Real change won’t come from attacking platforms alone: It requires broader cultural shifts and new frameworks for understanding what children need from both technology and society.

For further episodes and detailed investigations, follow “Left to Their Own Devices” via the Toronto Star.