Written by: Grace Johnson
In an interview with Face the Nation at the end of 2025, CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan was asked what the biggest risks to the economy were going into 2026. His response: “…the real question is, will the consumer keep spending in the U.S.?” Moynihan went on to explain that Bank of America’s projection of increase in economic activity in 2026 is dependent on an American consumer that stays engaged. “And if the consumer becomes less engaged, as we move from ‘25 into ‘26 and slows down their spending, that’s going to slow down the economy” (2025). The American economy requires that people actively participate and consume. Businesses, financial institutions, and the government all have an incentive to keep Americans spending, and in the 21st century, social media can use algorithms and engagement data to deeply understand consumer wants and behaviors.
Social media’s design makes overconsumption easy. Many social media platforms now have online shops embedded into the app, such as Instagram Shop or TikTok Shop. Through TikTok Shop, for example, users can directly purchase products used in videos or LIVE streams by clicking the link embedded into the video (TikTok, 2023). By doing this, users don’t have to cross many obstacles to make purchases, and therefore might spend less time considering the purchase altogether. As a result, many users might buy things they don’t need or wouldn’t have purchased otherwise. Along with the increasing popularity of TikTok Shop is the usage of #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, which currently has 31.7 million posts including the hashtag as of March 2026 (TikTok, n.d.). The high engagement with this hashtag demonstrates the magnitude of TikTok’s influence on buyers.
Through social media, the life cycle of trends have shortened significantly. Fashion writer and content creator Mandy Lee defines microtrends as “singular pieces of clothing rather than maybe genres or aesthetics that reach peak and obsolescence very, very quickly” (Selyukh & Gomez Sarmiento, 2022). These microtrends are often more specific and niche than general trends. In order to keep up, many people order from fast fashion shops to participate, fueling more consumption.
Social media also creates realities and expectations that tend to influence the way viewers think about consumption. “Outfit of the Day” and “Get Ready With Me” videos have become increasingly popular on social media, in which creators will generally show a vast variety of products or clothes they use daily. These videos can create the perception that wearing an outfit only once is common, or that having a substantial amount of skincare and makeup products is necessary, influencing viewers to do the same.
As a result of this increased speed of trends and rise of fast fashion, the production of clothing and textiles has reached a new high. The fashion industry releases 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and if it continues at the same pace, is expected to increase by more than 50% by the year 2030. In 2012, of the 150 million garments produced globally, approximately 60% were disposed of just a few years after being produced (Shukla, 2022). These realities pose dangerous threats to pollution and the earth, and display how these dangers will only worsen if there is no change.
While portions of social media can induce overconsumption, there are also competing trends that encourage scaling back. One of these trends that has become popular on TikTok is “deinfluencing” (Chokrane, 2023). In these videos, content creators share popular products they purchased that they do not feel is worth the money. Many participating influencers encourage viewers to ponder over a purchase for a long time or consider how much they would use a product before buying. The idea of underconsumption has become increasingly popular across social media platforms. In a substack article titled, “Underconsumption is Chic”, author Gabrielle Dubois explains her love for underconsumption and how it feels to slow down and purchase less. “You learn to desire fewer things, but more deeply. To save for something. To wait for it. And when it finally enters your life, it feels meaningful instead of fleeting” (Dubois Meloff, 2025). The rising trend of underconsumption might help to curb the influence social media has on purchasing.
Through social media, trends life-cycle’s are shorter, and there are less barriers than ever to buy. American overconsumption causes an increase in pollution that is harming the planet, and will only worsen if there is no change. However, in a world where purchases are made with the click of a button, there is also a push to resist.
Contemplating the future state of consumption begs the question of which is a more significant disruptor. Are the everyday habits and lifestyle of consumers too engrained in culture? Or, in a world where institutions, governments, and businesses all rely on an American that is willing to buy, can a simple consensus that “overconsumption is out” initiate a rebellion?
References
Chokrane, B. (2023, December 21). What is deinfluencing? Unpacking TikTok’s unlikeliest shopping trend. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-deinfluencing
Dubois Meloff, G. (2025, December 18). Underconsumption is chic. Le Secret Club. https://gabrielledubois.substack.com/p/underconsumption-is-chic
Face the Nation. (2025, December 29). Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan on the biggest risks to the U.S. economy. [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/FaceTheNation/videos/bank-of-america-ceo-brian-moynihan-on-the-biggest-risks-to-the-us-economy-headin/2710620702631546
Selyukh, A., & Gomez Sarmiento, I. (2022, August 7). Social media is deciding trends at breakneck pace, and it’s fueling fast fashion. NPR.org. https://www.npr.org/2022/08/07/1116218375/social-media-is-deciding-trends-at-breakneck-pace-and-its-fueling-fast-fashion
Shukla, N. (2022, February 21). Fast fashion pollution and climate change. Earth.org. https://earth.org/fast-fashion-pollution-and-climate-change/
TikTok. (n.d.). #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt videos on TikTok. TikTok. Retrieved March 31, 2026, from https://www.tiktok.com/tag/TikTokMadeMeBuyIt TikTok. (2023, September 12). Introducing TikTok Shop. TikTok Newsroom. https://newsroom.tiktok.com/introducing-tiktok-shop?lang=en