The manipulation of body image by social media

In this social world, most of our free time is spent mindlessly scrolling through our news feeds, capturing and editing aesthetic pictures to post on Instagram and finding the most flattering angle to take a selfie. Have we ever stopped to ponder about why we need to look perfect on a digital platform? Today’s generation, to put it blatantly, is not only obsessed with their external beauty but also with methods that assist them to portray themselves to look the best. In this age of social media influencers, bloggers, and Instagram models, it’s not uncommon to find a young adult comparing themselves to an ideal image or standard of beauty that they are exposed to on various platforms such as: advertisements, magazines and television. The internet has managed to govern most aspects of our life such as how we live, what we buy, what we wear, and what we eat. However, the most shocking and frankly scary development is to see how it has started to control our self-perception and our self-esteem through pop culture, the entertainment industry and the health industry.

Social media platforms have affected body image perceptions in multifaceted ways which have led to an increase in both physical and mental issues. Since, there is a great stigma in society when it comes to addressing eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder (BED) most people refrain from openly talking about it. It is still estimated that up to 30 million Americans will still experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives, mostly in their teenage years.(1) A research study conducted by the University of Haifa in 2011, found that the more time teenage girls spent on Facebook, the more likely they were to develop a negative body image. (2)A similar study by Florida State University in 2014, gave the same negative correlation between Facebook body image issues. (3) These facts demonstrate how social media has instigated the growth of such disorders which are both physical and mental issues. These problems occur when a person’s insecurities regarding their body drive them towards cutting their appetite which in turn causes anorexia, bulimia etc. Thus, mental dissatisfaction gives rise to the physical consequences causing eating disorders.

In order to understand how social media is affecting body perceptions, it’s also important to delve into understanding the psychology behind how the brain is impacted by a series of visuals. “Stereotypes formed by the media that include thin, tanned women, and wealthy, muscular men have led to a decline in self-acceptance (4)” as quoted by a teenage blogger shows how powerful social media is when it comes to setting stone cold standards in the fragile, moldable minds of young children. The discrepancies created in the mind of young boys and girls between what they see when they look in the mirror and what they see on posts from advertisements and social media are creating the issue of “body dissatisfaction”. For example, “Lewallen and Behm-Morawitz (2016) suggest that adolescent girls and young women following fitness boards on Pinterest were more likely to report intentions to engage in extreme weight-loss behaviors, such as crash dieting or a radical exercise plan.” (5) This study indicates that even though Pinterest fitness boards might not be the only direct factor causing crash dieting or extreme weight-loss regimes, it does add to their mental pressure experienced by young adults. The generation of this detrimental line of thought is often enough to trigger such behavior. In general, the environment of social comparison which is unknowingly promoted by these social media platforms is leading to discontent, internalized body complexity issues and a constant sense of inadequacy.

Since the rise in popularity of social media like Snapchat and Instagram, apps focus more on communication through pictures and videos; which gives rise to the inherent pressure to look better. Julia Arciga, a writer for USA Today College, believes that something as simple as Snapchat filters “have (also) caused some tension among users who feel that the filters promote an unrealistic — and Westernized — standard of beauty.” (6) In her article, she underscores how certain face-lightening and narrowing filters almost make it seem like Asian women should have larger eyes, or African American women should have lighter skin and thinner noses. These filters which both Instagram and Snapchat use are designed to make someone beautiful, but in a very narrow, westernized, ‘fair-skinned and blue eyes’ way. The over-usage of these filters over various platforms just shows how wide-spread they are, to a point where it’s become common for people to only want to take pictures with certain filters. This highlights the same pattern of body image issues, where mental dissatisfaction is created, leading to psychological damage paving the way for eating disorders and related health issues mentioned.

Another factor on social media platforms that greatly contributes to such distorted body image issues is the advertisement of diet pills, fitness pills, and weight loss techniques. However, there are many authors and writers who believe on the contrary, that in fact fitness related advertisements boost the morale of consumers, guide them towards the right products and encourage them to lead a healthier lifestyle. For example, authors Helen Dixon, Maree Scully, Trish Cotter, Sarah Maloney, Melanie Wakefield in their study “Healthy weight and lifestyle advertisements: an assessment of their persuasive potential” (7) strongly advocate that health advertisements were effective and had positive effects on the lifestyle of viewers who implemented the routines or bought the product. However, Dr. Simona Pajaujiene, the founder and program director of Active Training, a significant fitness company in Europe, herself believes that “the fitness area can meet a huge social pressure to be thin or muscular” (8). This accentuates the dichotomy in the health industry when it comes to taking a stance regarding health supplements, diet pills and fitness. But, it’s important to understand that the intense commercialization of these products, with gorgeous models that have perfect bodies, has created this false sense that one has to use a particular product to look more favorable.

Body image pressure for men to be more lean/muscular (13)

However, in the wake of social media becoming more positive and open, many young girls and boys have talked about what factors led to them falling into either eating disorders or destructive mental states related to adverse body image issues. A young teen commented on a blog saying, “I know a ten-year- old girl who stopped eating after reading comments online that people had made about a picture of teen star Demi Lovato. Things like comments or tweets may seem simple, but they can really impact girls in a negative way by causing them to have unrealistic expectations about what thin is.” (9) This comment by itself shows the magnitude of damage that derogatory comments, by even singers, actors and huge celebrities, can have on the young minds that eagerly follow them on social media platforms. Another hashtag which many teens have spoken of to be problematic is “‘thinspiration’- the inspiration for social media users to restrict their diets until they achieve the unhealthy thinness portrayed in the photos” (10). It is these small instances that add up to cause long term damage to the psyche and brains of our youngest generation, driving them to chase unrealistic goals, and dwindle in self-depreciation and sometimes depression.

This is not to say that the nature of body image representation is not changing online and on screen. More and more brands, clothing lines, and media companies have started to advocate “body positive” campaigns to try and eliminate the idea that there is only one ideal body type. Big brands like ASOS are now advocating all sizes by using models that represent women not only of various body shapes but also of different ethnicities with varied physical features. In this new surge of redefining beauty standards, there are also many body positive and plus size Instagram models, stylists, and bloggers who have risen to fame by using their platforms to create positive change. Celebrities like Ashley Graham, Tess Holiday and Winnie Harlow (11) have really helped to create a safe space for young girls, especially making sure that they don’t conform to society’s morphed standards of beauty.

With “body inclusive” being a keyword that seems to have spread all over social media and the fashion industry it seems like things are changing, but there is still a lot more to achieve. Despite a lot of body positive content surging on the internet, a lot more awareness needs to be spread in order to make sure that young teenagers are not impacted by beauty standards. It’s often said that social media and other digital platforms end up being a mirror image of society itself, and when it comes to the subject of beauty standards there is some truth to that saying. The biggest obstacle with this entire issue is the standards of beauty and fitness that are already ingrained in our minds as a result of the society we live in. Since decades men and women have conformed to certain standards of beauty and etiquette, but its only with the advent of the digital age and social media that they have been thrust to the spotlight. Thus, this is a wake-up call to our generation, web-designers, app-developers and the general media to recognize and realize the responsibility they hold when it comes to shaping young minds. It’s only with a change in mindset and pattern of usage can we make sure that the next generation is not affected by such body image and self-esteem issues.

Body Positive Advertisemnents (12)

Works cited:

1. “What Everyone Should Know About Social Media And Body Image.” Betterhelp, BetterHelp, 29 Oct. 2018, www.betterhelp.com/advice/body-dysmorphic-disorder/what-everyone-should-know-about-social-media-and-body-image/.
2. “What Everyone Should Know About Social Media And Body Image.” Betterhelp, BetterHelp, 29 Oct. 2018, www.betterhelp.com/advice/body-dysmorphic-disorder/what-everyone-should-know-about-social-media-and-body-image/.
3. “What Everyone Should Know About Social Media And Body Image.” Betterhelp, BetterHelp, 29 Oct. 2018, www.betterhelp.com/advice/body-dysmorphic-disorder/what-everyone-should-know-about-social-media-and-body-image/.
4. “Login.” TeenInk, www.teenink.com/college_guide/college_essays/article/297162/The-Media-and-Body-Image.
5. “Magazine Issue 1 2018 / Issue 35.” The Inquisitive Mind, www.in-mind.org/article/selfie-esteem-the-relationship-between-body-dissatisfaction-and-social-media-in-adolescent.
6. Arciga, Julia. “Fight the Filter: Snapchat Selfies Distort Users’ Self-Image.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 18 Aug. 2016, www.usatoday.com/story/college/2016/08/18/fight-the-filter-snapchat-selfies-distort-users-self-image/37421303/
7. Dixon, et al. “Healthy Weight and Lifestyle Advertisements: an Assessment of Their Persuasive Potential.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 7 July 2015, https://academic.oup.com/her/article/30/4/569/586932
8. “Body Image Problems in Health and Fitness Industry. What Can We Do?” EuropeActive, www.europeactive.eu/blog/body-image-problems-health-and-fitness-industry-what-can-we-do.
9. “How Does Social Media Affect Your Body Image?” National Eating Disorders Association, 28 Aug. 2018, www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/how-does-social-media-affect-your-body-image
10. “What Everyone Should Know About Social Media And Body Image.” Betterhelp, BetterHelp, 29 Oct. 2018, www.betterhelp.com/advice/body-dysmorphic-disorder/what-everyone-should-know-about-social-media-and-body-image/.
11. “These Instagram Models Are Leading The Body Positive Movement By Example”. Twentytwowords.Com, 2019, https://twentytwowords.com/radical-body-positivity-is-taking-instagram-by-storm-and-its-incredibly-inspirational/.

Picture sources :

12.Source: inspiringlivesmagazine.com https://www.inspiringlivesmagazine.com/health-wellness/love-your-body/

13. Source: pexels.com https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-of-young-man-326559/