Maddie Ziegler says social media has become more of 'a toxic place'
Maddie Ziegler is trying to make the best of social media in order to connect with her fans, but the 18-year-old admitted that's becoming increasingly difficult because of the rampant negativity.
Speaking Tuesday with "Entertainment Tonight," the "Music" star says she used to love spending her time connecting with people on social media but now finds herself exhausted by bad behavior and constant comparisons.
"I don't love social media," said Ziegler. "I think it used to be super fun and relaxed. You'd go on to see what your friends are doing or what drink they're drinking that day. It was very, very lighthearted."
"It's become a toxic place," she added. But she's not ready to close her accounts.
"My explore page, it's curated to what I want to look at. So art, makeup, dance, stuff like that," the "Dance Moms" alum said.
Social media also makes it "really easy to compare yourself to everyone," she pointed out.
Saying she "has a hard time with that," Ziegler explained that she is concerned by how social media influences her fellow teenagers.
"It's something that you carry, but especially in your teenage years, I feel it's just heavily at the forefront of most conversations or experiences," she noted.
Ziegler then switched to a lighter note by focusing on her next big movie appearance: Steven Spielberg's remake of "West Side Story." The film, she says, combines her two loves -- acting and dancing.
"I think it's pretty insane that I grew up watching 'West Side Story' and I get to be in the remake in just a little part," she said. "That was really cool, just to be a part of such an iconic dance film. It's really cool."
