Parasocial Relationships: Help! My Child’s Best Friend is a Media Character

From Disney characters to YouTubers and Instagram celebrities, kids can develop deep emotional connections with media personalities and characters. These “parasocial relationships” are one-sided but to the kids, the media characters can feel like real friends, influencing everything a real friend does, from product purchases and interest in social causes to feelings of belonging and self-worth. In this Cyberwise Chat we discuss the positives and negatives of parasocial relationships and how they change as kids age. We also explain how you can help your kids recognize and navigate these tricky relationships.