Alcohol romanticization is most common in teenagers' social media feeds

Fotograf: Becca Tapert/Unsplash

03.10.2024 - Seven out of ten young people are exposed to alcohol through popular culture, at least once a week. On social media, teenagers are most frequently exposed to trends related to drinking or drinking more alcohol. This is according to a new report from IQ, which is based on over 1,000 interviews with young people aged 15-30. Seven out of ten respondents believe that social media greatly influences their views on alcohol.

Young people are heavily engaged in social media, sharing their lives and consuming the content of others. Nearly three out of four young people see alcohol-related content in their social media feeds at least once a week. Often, it's individuals who, seemingly innocently, share pictures where they are, for example, holding a glass of alcohol on a sunny summer day. Research shows that the likelihood of young people drinking alcohol in the following month increases if their friends post content about alcohol. At the same time, the alcohol industry is also present on social media, marketing their products.

“If young people are constantly exposed to alcohol-positive content, there is a risk that they will be inspired to drink and develop a skewed perception of how prevalent alcohol actually is among young people, who today drink at historically low levels,” says Mojtaba Ghodsi, CEO of IQ.

IQ's survey also reveals that it is most common for the youngest age group, 15-19 years, to encounter trends about drinking or drinking more alcohol. In this age group, more than one in four (27 percent) have seen such content, compared to one in five (19 percent) in the 20-24 age group, and only one in ten (10 percent) among those aged 25-30.

“What we choose to share on our social media is, of course, everyone's personal responsibility. However, we also have a collective need for connection, to follow the crowd, and to belong. So, when underage individuals are exposed to alcohol-positive content, it becomes especially problematic,” says Mojtaba Ghodsi.

IQ's survey shows that popular culture further contributes to the normalization of alcohol among young people, as seven out of ten are exposed to alcohol messages through films, series, and music on a weekly basis.

“Popular culture plays a significant role in shaping our views and values. When it comes to film, for example, the problem sometimes is that filmmakers depict youth culture as they remember it, back when alcohol played a much more important role in young people's lives. However, they miss the fact, as our research shows, that today's youth have a different attitude toward alcohol compared to previous generations,” says Mojtaba Ghodsi.

This is the third interim report in IQ's series "Alcohol & Youth," focusing on popular culture, trends, and social media.

IQ's tips for a better balance on social media

• Clean up or pause: If alcohol-related images are negatively affecting you, it may be time to clean up your feed by unfollowing certain accounts or pausing them to see how it feels. Keep following accounts that inspire and energize you.

• Think about what you share: What you post affects others, so reflect on the content you’re sharing.

• The feed doesn't reflect reality: Remember that everyday routines, like doing the dishes or vacuuming, are not shared as often as luxury moments.

Other key findings

• It’s more common for girls (77 percent) than boys (66 percent) to see alcohol-related content on social media weekly.

• 63 percent believe that social media influences how often young people drink alcohol, and 62 percent believe it affects how much they drink.

• 16 percent of young people consume popular culture (like films, music, and series) with alcohol-related content daily. 69 percent do so at least once a week, and an additional 16 percent consume it once a month.

• 2 percent say they drink alcohol because influencers or personalities on social media do, but 11 percent think this is a driving force for young people in general.

Read more about the results in the attached report.

About the survey

The survey, which forms the basis for the "Alcohol & Youth" series, was conducted by Ungdomsbarometern through a digital questionnaire. The results are nationally representative of the general public aged 15-30, as well as gender. Respondents were selected through Norstat and their randomly phone-recruited, nationally representative panel based on SPAR.

Data collection took place between April 19 and May 13, 2024. The number of respondents in the survey is 1,154.

Previous interim reports

• Alcohol & Youth 01: Young people are drinking less, June 2024

• Alcohol & Youth 02: Peer pressure, friends, and FOMO, August 2024

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