#203 Baby-Botox: Anti-Aging Is Out Of Control | WeAreSTS

Children as young as eight are targeted by influencers and advertisers towards anti-aging products, from skin creams and anti-wrinkle devices to “baby botox”. Maddy Ross (Human Sciences ’25) investigates how influencers and social media algorithms drive anti-aging anxiety to ever increasing levels while industry advertising markets solutions to ever younger people, especially girls. She identifies increasing concerns over risks that are physical, psychological, and social. Are young people being exploited without even knowing it?Influencers play a key role in these processes, especially impacting children’s consumption behaviours. Algorithms on social media platforms seek engagement by moving to increasingly extreme representations – anything to keep us connected and scrolling.Should we be worried about “baby botox” and its promotion? Yes, Ross argues. Its increase in popularity is only symptom of powerful industries who are constantly looking to sell you something. It seems such products have no serious resistance, regulation, or consumer protection and growing evidence suggests hidden costs and runaway risks.This is a report from the STSNewsRoom 2024.FeaturingInterviewer and researcherMaddy Ross (Human Sciences BSc) https://uk.linkedin.com/in/madeline-ross-4188b2287IntervieweesDr Caitlin Shaughnessy (Researcher at UCL Department of Information Studies)Professor Afshin Mosahebi (Professor at UCL Department of Surgical Biotechnology and Consultant Plastic Surgeon)HostProfessor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cainMusic credits“Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeodhttps://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5Podcast informationWeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show:https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast