A GIRL who is followed by thousands of young Saudi women on social media recently visited a mall in Jeddah and caused mayhem due to the large number of women who wanted to meet her. This incident clearly shows the power of social media. Some people have accused our society of being ignorant and backward. To these people I say that the general public is free to choose whom to follow on social media. Nobody can stop the influence of Snapchat celebrities. Some journalists and writers criticized such incidents and called on the general public not to be influenced by such figures, who were described as idiotic and imbecilic. The general public, however, never listens to these calls. I do not understand what is wrong if thousands of people find a social media celebrity attractive and are influenced by him or her. This is something common all over the world. There is nothing wrong if people become famous on Snapchat. Some people in our society believe that only intellectual people have the right to be famous and recognized. All over the world there are actors and soccer players who are very famous. Whether we like it or not, they will continue to be viewed as celebrities. We cannot tell people whom to like and whom to hate. If you find my words unconvincing, then the next time you go to an advanced country, ask someone on the street to give you the names of three scientists who have won the Noble Prize then ask him to give you the names of 10 celebrities. You will discover, to your surprise, that it will be easier for the person to name 10 celebrities.
