While some of his classmates saw right through Tate, others \u201cwere pretty into\u201d what he stands for.<\/p>\n
Gray said \u201clooksmaxxing\u201d influencers who encourage appearance-enhancing techniques fed into the same insecurities of young people.<\/p>\n
Donovan Gray, an 18-year-old law student, talks about the harm caused by social media for the online video series Under the Influence, produced by Overactive Imagination for the NZ Herald.<\/p>\n
This type of content was dangerous and \u201cpromotes misogyny and promises prosperity and success\u201d, Gray said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNaturally, insecure and vulnerable … [people] fall into the trap of seeing someone who looks like they\u2019ve all got it figured out,\u201d Gray said. <\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially during that horrible time as a teenager when you don\u2019t really know your place and it feels like no one really gets you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gray thinks toxic masculinity is more talked about now, but it\u2019s \u201cexacerbated by social media\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think young people are particularly susceptible to the type of content that\u2019s pushed on social media, considering they\u2019re in the formative stages of brain development.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said the desire to fit in when young can be \u201cintense\u201d and the behaviour pushed by influencers \u201cis harmful in itself\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cParticularly when they realise that they\u2019re chasing an unobtainable lifestyle yet continue to practise the disgusting and problematic behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Predatory\u2019 AI<\/p>\n
Gray said AI chatbots were another growing concern for him.<\/p>\n
While he hadn\u2019t experienced \u201cpredatory\u201d AI chatbots himself, he knew that for young people, AI is pushing \u201cparasocial relationships to the extreme\u201d, especially when youngsters are feeling lost. <\/p>\n
\u201c[It] provides a breeding ground for AI to swoop in, hook you in and stop you from ever leaving that space; it just forces you into a false sense of comfort within it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is harmful, particularly if AI is replacing real human relationships that young people may have otherwise had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Invitations to watch porn appear in a young person’s social media feed in the online video series Under the Influence, produced by Overactive Imagination for the NZ Herald.<\/p>\n
Porn stigma<\/p>\n
Gray, a cisgender straight male, said pornography harmed young people in New Zealand in two main ways: perceptions of men and women, and of themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cMen are so frequently shown as dominating … whereas women are portrayed as being ditsy and easily persuaded into intimacy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the \u201cblatant lack of consent\u201d seen in porn, Gray said this portrayal sways how \u201cyoung men perceive not only sex, but women and men in general\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe way that women are portrayed in porn is frankly horrendous.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must also be recognised that people\u2019s sexual preferences do vary and there isn\u2019t a universal way that everyone likes it [which porn encourages].\u201d<\/p>\n
In terms of how someone perceives themselves, Gray said porn is \u201cassociated with shame and guilt, particularly amongst younger people\u201d. <\/p>\n
There is a \u201chuge\u201d social stigma relating to porn, with many scared to speak about their experience in fear of shame, he said. <\/p>\n
This means they can \u201cadopt problematic perceptions of others\u201d, which takes a toll on themselves. <\/p>\n
Gray said some people may not recognise the \u201cproblematic elements of porn\u201d, while others might but are \u201dtoo addicted to kick it to the curb”.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven then, following quitting, the impacts of consuming porn as a young person [during those crucial formative years] can lead to long-lasting effects on intimacy.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said it was important to reduce stigma around porn, while also acknowledging the \u201cmany negative impacts\u201d of it. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy advice would be to take a step back and see who the true villains are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gray said he hoped taking part in the Herald\u2019s series would encourage more conversations about the challenges young people face online.<\/p>\n
\u201cI empathise with parents of children, as things have changed so much since social media first came along.\u201d<\/p>\n