"I'd rather give my teen JackDaniels & Pot than Instagram"

Scott gave a controversial interview that generated a huge buzz among digital marketers (and parents). "I'd rather give my teen JackDaniels & Pot than Instagram," says CNN's host and professor of marketing at the New York University, Scott Galloway. Check the video to see the rationale behind this statement. Also, he complements this comment saying that we're "putting nuclear weapons in hands of kids."

You may think differently, but I believe the problem is more in the correct use of the tools than in the tool itself. For example, a hammer is just a hammer until you hit someone in the head. And yes, I know! Teenagers are committing suicide impacted by online bullying, but is this a social issue or a social media issue only?

Furthermore, is it not up to society, parents, and teachers the role to teach our children? We should explain that our success does not depend on acceptance or fictitious engagement built through virtual friends/heaters that you often don't know? It is necessary to recognize that the virtual world created by the best (and sometimes illusory) part of life on social media is just what people want to show about their lives, not necessarily what they live on 24/7.

On the other hand, like the TV ratings - based on content and age-appropriateness of a particular program, the giant media companies should also take initiatives to better understand the impact of their User-generated content (UGC) on society, especially on children and young adults. For example, the search for acceptance leads many young people to expose their bodies, creating semi-pornographic channels looking for the first 1M of followers. Instagram/Meta must understand the role of their platforms on that, and we as parents need to be aware of how our children use their tools.

I would also love to see a dialogue between Scott Galloway and Adam Mosseri about that. Hey CNN! Please, could you arrange it?

How about you? Do you prefer to give your child alcohol and cannabis instead of an Instagram account? A controversial subject, no?

#Instagram #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #SocialMedia

---

Andre Havro, MBA

Havro helps young talents and entrepreneurs worldwide take their vision to new heights through his Digital Marketing Mentoring Program. He is a pioneer in the digital industry, a serial entrepreneur, and a marketing mentor who specializes in marketing strategy, branding, and digital marketing with over 25 years of experience on both the client and agency sides.