by By: Hannah Reinhardt
The rise of social media tycoons such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok over the last decade has coincided with a rise in body dysmorphia in young adults. It is a presumed assumption that these platforms have spearheaded the perpetuation of an ideal body standard free from imperfections. As social media continues to evolve to fit the new world of business and free-enterprise, brands and individuals are finding convenient ways to promote themselves and their work. Influencer Marketing is one of the biggest shifts that has taken place. Brands are paying real-individuals to enhance both the usefulness and appeal of their products and services instead of following the traditional Ad route. However, as influencers continue to dominate social media feeds with their rehearsed impromptu sales gimmick speeches — users are left to their own discernment as to the authenticity of the accounts and their content. Research shows that the most conclusive correlation between the rise in perceived negative self image and social media use is the comparison game. Individuals spend hours scrolling through an influx of images on their feeds many of which are edited, blurred and photoshopped for marketing purposes. The scrolling is often counterproductive because more than half of the content that we are comparing ourselves with is artificially enhanced and therefore not truly representative of human-beings in “real-life”.
That being said, there is another shift that is occurring within social media platforms and it is shattering the glass ceilings that have left social media usage with a tarnished user perception. Apart from loosely worded user guidelines Instagram allows its users the ability to share whatever content they wish. This is one of the greatest benefits of using social media – it provides the canvas for users to share their authentic stories if they are comfortable enough to do so. Part of the problem with all of the negative connotations associated with online networking is us. We as users play as big a role in the perpetuation of unrealistic standards as the algorithms that organize our user feeds. We are the authors of the content and it is this simple fact alone that gives us the ability to change the narrative that has become synonymous with social media usage. If we continue to only release content that fits the ‘mold’ that we see so often, then all of us are only pushing the unrealistic look forward. However, there are individuals that are going against the grain. On Instagram, skin positivity accounts are all the rage. These subcommunities provide a safe space for individuals who suffer from acne, blemishes, skin irregularity and other stigmatized (but normal) surface imperfections. Individuals are ditching the embarrassment of the past surrounding acne and are instead embracing the beauty of just being. The accounts are transparent, honest, raw and comforting. They are prime examples of the world outside of the filter – unapologetically imperfect, beautiful and worthwhile nonetheless.
This was just an interesting read. I find it refreshing to see business positively posting about skin blemishes. With seeing how popular face filters are on social media platforms it always stands out to me (in a good way) when brands post real photos that represent what the average person might look like. Recently, Khloe Kardashian has been receiving lots of backlash for altering her appearance too much. While I understand the pressure must be insane to conform to beauty standards, I still do not understand why rules against altering yourself have not be created. The physiological affects of these filters have to be somewhat large and impactful, not only on the person posting but the viewers as well.
I think having these body positivity pages on social media are so important because it is so popular to try and show you have an unattainable body. These pages that promote what people would normally see as flaws and turning it into something that someone shouldn’t be embarrassed to show. I hope that this trend continues to gain popularity and people show off their real self with all their flaws. I think corporations have been noticing this trend because in recent years models for big apparel companies have moved to people that look like everyday people rather than these ultra-skinny super models.
I’ve noticed this shift in Instagram content recently too — it’s finally becoming more relatable and authentic. Something else I’ve observed is the recent trend of “photo dumps” of random photos instead of carefully curated ones, which reminds me of old Instagram when it was fun and there wasn’t pressure to fit a certain standard. I’m excited for Instagram to start “embracing the beauty of just being,” as you put it.
Very Interesting post —I have noticed a shift in content on my Instagram feed as well and I find it refreshing. The beauty standards that we are expected to meet are impossible and we should be highlighting the traits that make us different. Seeing the shift in the content recently reminds me of what it was like when Instagram first became popular and thats a good thing.
Hannah, first of all, your blog post was beautifully written and you have a great writers voice. Second, I love that you chose this topic because I am such a huge fan of this new wave of influencers being “real”. It truly speaks to me and so many young men and women who have grown up seeing what our bodies should look like on the internet. Being candid about acne, body shape, body hair, blemishes and scarring, menstruation and so many other real, honest facets of the human experience draw me to those accounts because I feel super seen and heard.
I love that you chose to highlight this side of social media because it’s important for it to gain exposure in order to be seen by more people. It also reminded me of the body positive trend that started during quarantine where women would post pictures posed and unposed to show a more real life perception of what skin, stretch marks, “rolls” and blemishes look like unedited. I remember what a relief it was to see, after being so accustomed to seeing perfection on my Instagram feed all the time. Another trend I’ve noticed recently is people finding unedited paparazzi photos taken of celebrities and posting them next to the airbrushed, edited photos of them in magazines. While I don’t think celebrities should be shamed for the way they look, I do think it is important for young people to understand that the beauty standard that is set by society is fake and all made on a computer! I hope that these realistic beauty standard trends continue to grow and inspire young generations to embrace their natural skin and bodies.
This was such a great read! As someone who is getting tired of seeing the “perfect” Instagram model’s skin, hair, bodies, life! It is refreshing and much needed to see some reality on social media. Acne is always something that people say goes away after puberty, but as a 21-year old, I can tell you that is not true! It is so easy to get sucked into social media, so highlighting influencers who are changing the norm is amazing. Great work!
Hi Hannah! Thanks for your post and such a refreshing outlook on Instagram culture and new trends in social media. I think a lot of people out there, myself included, at times feel a certain pressure to post pictures of ourselves that are “flawless” and we often hide parts of ourselves online if they aren’t visually “perfect” according to previous pop culture beauty standards. That’s why it is really comforting to see this shift as of recent to more body-positive and self confident attitudes within social media. These kinds of influencers who embrace “imperfections” are a perfect example to young people on the internet and post by post can help everyone feel a little more secure in their own skin.
Hannah,
This was a very interesting post to read. It is so easy to get sucked into the world of comparison on social media and to feel inadequate to the influencers that take over that space. It’s refreshing to see that people are trying to break away from this toxic environment and show more authenticity on their social medias. Seeing posts like the ones above that accentuate a feature that is traditionally shameful, like acne, makes it easier for social media users to comprehend that everyone has flaws.
Hannah,
This was a very interesting post to read. It is so easy to get sucked into the world of comparison on social media and to feel inadequate to the influencers that take over that space. It’s refreshing to see that people are trying to break away from this toxic environment and show more authenticity on their social media. Seeing posts like the ones above that accentuate a feature that is traditionally shameful, like acne, makes it easier for social media users to comprehend that everyone has flaws.
I love seeing content like this because not only is it refreshing, it’s also a nice reflection of actual society. Instagram is a hub of fakeness, and it’s hard sometimes to remember that not everyone has flawless skin or is living their best life. It’s crazy how much of an impact it can have on our self-esteem. Don’t believe the hype!
Hannah, this is good content. It makes me realize that we stay on social media platforms. That impacts our emotions for example like me I feel so skinny when I look at some models on social media. Also, it’s so crazy how businesses can get profits from these crazy ideas and how they build idea content with the perfect human body or skin.
I totally agree with you. I feel like since quarantine hit many people have been posting themselves in the “raw”, in their all natural self. It’s nice to see that influencers or famous people have blemishes and parts of their body they dont like either. It’s refreshing to think that people who I look up to have some of the same insecurities as I do.
This was a great read. As someone who has dealt with acne for years, I appreciate when influencers or other people in the spotlight talk about it. It is nice to know you are not alone and even the people who put on a face just for social media are able to relate. Great job with this post!