Can social media friends be trusted? Never, says influencer Varsha Ramesh

A double tap, a kind comment, a shared story— on the surface, it all feels real. But beyond the pixels and profiles, can the friendships we forge online truly be trusted? Influencer and actor Varsha Ramesh (@verum_varsha), one of the leading Malayali social media content creators with over 7 lakh followers, advises netizens not to trust such friends made on virtual platforms as they might not be what they seem.

“Despite spending so much time on social media and having several followers, my friends are still the ones who I studied with in school or college and my colleagues. I don’t have any friends in the virtual world, and I would advise never to trust such friends whom you befriend on social media. There may be exceptions of very good relationships built over Instagram or Facebook, but I prefer to make friends in the real world. We are living at a time where we can’t trust people who we have known for even 20 years,” Ramesh said.

She was speaking at a discussion on the topic ‘Influence of Influencers’ with columnist, commentator Ram Mohan Paliath at the Manorama News Conclave 2025 held at the Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre in Kochi.

Paliath said that the influence of social media content creators has grown in all sectors, including politics and journalism. He said that young politicians now have to be very skilled in social media handling to be successful.

“While senior politicians still prefer conventional media, youngsters use social media for their branding. They have to develop these skills to be visible in the virtual worlds. Usually, companies hire film actors to promote their brand, but now even actors are seeking the help of influencers to promote their movies. Even media houses are pushing special news cards and reels on social media to attract young viewers,” Paliath said.

Both Ramesh and Paliath raised concerns about the negative impacts of social media influencers, including the use of foul language by some and actions like stalking. “Influencers can bring good changes to society, but at the same time, they can affect people negatively. The power of the medium is much more than you imagine and even many influencers are unaware of it,” Ramesh said.