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Marybeth Fair
Dr. McLaughlin
Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric
19 November 2015
#Goals
Imagine: a teenage girl opens her Instagram app, and immediately a stream of photos
exposes her to perfect candids of beautiful women, perhaps standing in front of the ocean, the
picture saturated with grays and blues as they gaze into the distance, a light breeze sweeping
their hair across the frame; or, maybe, they are sitting on a front porch, perched on a weathered
wooden railing, steam rising from their cup of herbal tea; or possibly they are leaning out of a
convertible, the suns rays glittering off their sunglasses and their even, white smile. The
teenager is exposed to thousands of these photos, thousands of these carefully arranged and
orchestrated candids, every time she opens this app. Instagram is conveniently located on her
phone that travels in her pocket, sits in her backpack, lays on her nightstand. She cannot escape
these photos, and every time she views them she cannot help but compare the lives of these
mannequins to her own. This phenomenon is not isolated- Instagram recently hit 400 million
active users (Kharpal). Many of these users are young women, and they are being harmed by
following accounts specifically made to post seemingly perfect photos. Meanwhile, teenage girls
already deal with body image issues- seven out of ten girls believe they are not good enough or
dont measure up in some way, including looks, performance, and relationships
(DoSomething.org). Thus, body image issues are already a large concern for middle and high
school health instructors, but more emphasis should be placed on the negative consequences of

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social media use, especially with respect to Instagrams social media celebrities. In order to
protect themselves from the damaging effects of this constant exposure, teenage girls need to
learn about these dangers; therefore, middle and high school health class curriculum should add
content regarding safe practices on Instagram.
Instagram is a social media app where users create accounts and share photos. Anyone
can create an account, and users can follow other users, adding that users pictures to the stream
of photos that appears upon opening their app. Some entrepreneurs have taken advantage of this
platform to create accounts that display the perfect life, touting impeccably filtered
photographs with a background of stark white (or exposed brick, or wood), with a single plant,
and one Eames chair standing as the lone piece of decorative furniture, equipped with two art
magazines that cost 15 dollars each (Fagan). These women are given many names, from digital
influencer to social media personality to minimalist pixie dream girl, but they all follow the
same mold (Instagram @dianamarksofficial), Chan-Laddaran, Fagan). They post artsy pictures
of themselves and their lives- the landscapes, furniture, foods, fashion, anything that will collect
likes (a positive response from followers). Then, photos undergo a rigorous editing process.
Through continuous posting of such photos, these women sometimes gain hundreds of thousands
of followers. Once they acquire substantial number of followers, companies pay them to post
photos with their products, praising their greatness, and these accounts spiral into livelihoods.
One example of an Instagram celebrity is Danielle Robertson. She is a twenty-one year
old law student from Australia (Instagram, @dannibelle). She posts photos of herself, clad in
workout gear and smiling off-camera or grinning on the beach in a bikini. Though she does some
modeling, her main source of fame is this Instagram account, which has over 544 thousand

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followers (Instagram, @dannibelle). This is 544 thousand people exposed to the photos
Robertson posts every day. While she, joined by many Instagram celebrities, may claim her
account positively affect someones life and genuinely make a difference, perhaps as fitness
motivation, there are many negative consequences of constantly seeing these photos (Instagram,
@dannibelle).
One of the biggest dangers of these accounts lies in their encouragement of comparison.
Often, viewers will see these photos and compare them to their own lives. Based on a study done
at Carnegie Mellon, when people view lives on social media that appear to be better than their
own, two things can happen: they can feel worse about themselves, or they can feel
motivated (Detweiler 157). This motivation reasoning sounds plausible and is often the defense
given by the creators of these accounts. As one woman shared, if [she has] the power, through
social media, to positively affect someones life and to genuinely make a difference, [she does
not] see how that could be a bad thing (Instangram, @dannibelle). This woman is correct.
Encouraging hundreds of thousands of people to follow their dreams, to attain their goals, would
be a great accomplishment indeed. For example, Tara Sabo, a certified personal trainer, shared
her story of a photo of the finishers medal from the Chicago marathon becoming a source of
inspiration and comfort during her training (Greatlist). Unfortunately, this is often not the case.
Yes, these accounts affect their followers lives, but positively? Usually, no.
Karley Sciortino, a writer for Vogue, shared her story of a time Instagram affected her life
in an article published last year. She was rowing a boat around a lake near Los Angeles on a
romantic date when she unconsciously opened Instagram and scrolled through her feed. Instantly,
Sciortino was bombarded with photos of both friends and celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival,

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and suddenly her date, which moments ago had been enjoyable, was now shattered, inferior and
pathetic (Sciortino). Sciortino had been having a lovely afternoon, but when Instagram forced
her to contrast her day to the photos posted on the app, her day was nothing compared to those
perfectly filtered ones she was viewing.
Often, when users compare their lives to those displayed on Instagram celebrities
accounts, they instead are met with feelings of inferiority. In other words, they engage in
negative social comparison. This theory suggests that we base our self-perceptions at least
partly on how we think we are doing in comparison to others (Khne, Vries 218). This habit
becomes problematic when applied to social media. Users compare their own lives, the good and
the bad, to the highlight reel others post online. They measure the unaltered reality of a real,
human life against the edited, carefully chosen best moments captured on Instagram, and the
comparison of this gritty reality to the stream of polished perfection can be devastatingly
detrimental to ones self-esteem.
Thus, users often feel inferior to others on social media, and social media usage can harm
ones self image in this way. A study conducted by the University of Amsterdam of 231
participants ages 18-25 found that more intense Facebook use was positively related to negative
social comparison and negative social comparison predicted lower self-perceived social
competence and lower self-perceived physical attractiveness (Khne, Vries 220). While this
study was conducted for Facebook, logically the results can be applied to Instagram, as they are
similar social media platforms. Constantly seeing photos of these perfect women leads
followers to compare their lives to these orchestrated photos, lowering their opinion of their own
competence and attractiveness.

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Besides diminishing the viewers sense of social competence and physical attractiveness,
photos from digital influencer accounts can lower body image and overall self-esteem.
According to a study by physiological researchers at the University of Sussex, exposure to
either ultra-thin or average-size magazine models lowered body satisfaction and, consequently,
self-esteem (Clay, Dittmar, Vignoles 451). Often, Instagram celebrities have figures similar to
those of models- thin, toned, tan, etc. Unfortunately, the danger of these accounts is their candid
aura. The photos all appear to be casual pictures, snapshots from the everyday lives of these
women. In reality, often these images are contrived perfection made to get attention (WITW
Staff). The pictures are staged to appear perfect and are not a reflection of the everyday life to
which viewers may be comparing them. Even beyond this staging, the actual women in the
photos are sometimes not an indicator of healthy body goals. One digital influencer admitted to
skipping meals and exercising excessively to maintain her figure for her Instagram photos
(Markovinovic). When users see these women described as normal or healthy or fit, it lowers
their self-esteem, even though they may be perfectly healthy. Especially for girls who have a
tendency toward perfection, anxiety and disordered eating, images of thinness become a symbol
of happiness (Dove). These inspirations become the catalyst for unhealthy behavior and habits.
Evidence of these feelings is rampant in the comments under these posts, where users are
free to share their feelings with the owner and the world beyond. For example, beneath a photo
of a fit woman in a sports bra smiling on her porch, her followers posted Im going back to gym
next week now and I am never gonna get this kind of bodyyyy [sic] (Instagram,
@dannibelle). Under another photos of a womans abs, a user commented same pants, they look
better on you tho [sic], followed by an emoticon of a crying face (Instagram, @kimmysheri).

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Even posts of a womans face, holding beauty products, the caption lauding their benefits- in
other words, the most obvious of advertisements- still receives comments from followers such as
I need whatever your [sic] doing times 10! Just gorgeous (Instagram, @momcrushmonday).
Comments such as these show the negative social comparison that occurs from viewing images
of Instagram celebrities.
Fortunately, humanity is not doomed. Current health curricula are already moving to
include information about the impact of technology on wellness. For example, the New Jersey
Department of Education requires course content that [evaluates] the social and ethical impact
that technology and current medical advances have on personal wellness (New Jersey
Department of Education). In Colorado, health classes are required to analyze how family,
peers, media, culture, and technology influence healthy eating choices (Colorado Department of
Education). However, as Instagram expands its user base, it becomes ever more important to add
specific information into the curriculum to ensure that girls are being adequately informed.
There are ways to help young women understand the images on these digital influencer
accounts and the effects of these photos. Girls should talk to a parent or trusted adult about the
impact of Instagram celebrities. To start these conversations, questions can be posed about how
often they compare themselves to women online or how they feel after scrolling through their
Instagram feed. Questions such as these make young women aware of the mental effects of
social media. Through this empowered awareness, young women can make informed decisions
about their following habits (Dove). Even after simply awakening their minds to the effects of
social media on their mentality, young women are able to make better decisions about how they
use Instagram.

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Beyond simple questioning, actual education about the negative effects of these social
media personality accounts can prevent these negative effects without any change in action. In
other words, even if, upon receiving this information in health class, students choose to ignore it
and continue to follow social media personalities, they will still be mentally healthier than if they
had not learned about this topic. No actual action is needed, but the simple education is effective
enough. One study conducted at Old Dominion University found that while even a five minute
exposure to thin-and-beautiful media images results in a more negative body image than neutral
images, the adverse effect of media exposure was significantly reduced among highinternalization women when they were given media-literacy information (Yamamiya et. al. 78).
This drastically detrimental mental effect of these Instagram images can be reduced through just
education, not a change in behavior. The method used in this particular study was a seven-minute
audiotape containing psychoeducational information about artificial beauty and genetic realities.
This study, then, is especially impactful because a simple audiotape or video could be
realistically, easily, and inexpensively incorporated into the health education curriculum.
Another option is suggested in the lesson plan guide Girls Only Toolkit by the San
Diego County District Attorney. This plan includes pinpointing images that reflect stereotypes
and describing the ideals the image is promoting, why it hurts their feelings, or what makes
them feel bad about their body (SDCDA 132). This, again, shows the importance of making
young women think about the effects these Instagram accounts have on their lives, and the ease
with which education regarding this issue can be incorporated into the health classroom.
A teenage girl scrolls through her Instagram account. A gorgeous woman in a bikini,
smiling on the beach, her body poised just so, smiles back at her. She clicks and adds a caption,

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body goals for this summer, or, maybe she types, jealous ugh, or simply goals (Instagram,
@dannibelle). Whatever message she chooses, she is comparing herself to this contrived, posed
photo, and she feels inadequate because of it. Fortunately, there is a simple way to avoid this
issue, to arm young women with the tools they need to stay safe on Instagram. The educational
system provides an opportunity to reach all girls at a young age. With the simple addition of
material into the curriculum regarding safety on Instagram with respect to these social media
celebrities, an entire generation of young women will be more confident and healthy. Those
sound like worthwhile #goals.

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Works Cited
"11 Facts About Teens and Self Esteem." DoSomething.org. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Chan-Laddaran, Kerry. "Instagram Star Essena O'Neill: Social Media Is Not Real - CNN.com."
CNN. Cable News Network. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
Clay, Daniel, Vivian L. Vignoles, and Helga Dittmar. "Body Image And Self-Esteem Among
Adolescent Girls: Testing The Influence Of Sociocultural Factors." Journal of Research
on Adolescence: 45177. Print.
"Comprehensive Health Education Overview for the Model Curriculum Units." Model
Curriculum. New Jersey Department of Education. Web. Dec. 2015.
"Curriculum Development Course at a Glance: Planning for High School Comprehensive
Health." Colorado Department of Education. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
Detweiler, Craig. iGods: How Technology Shapes Our Spiritual and Social Lives. Grand Rapids:
Brazos, 2013. Print.
Dove. "Impact of Social Media on Teenagers Dove Self-Esteem." Dove self esteem. Web. 24
Nov. 2015.
Fagan, Chelsea. "The Minimalist Pixie Dream Girl: Who She Is And Why I Hate Her." The
Financial Diet. 19 Mar. 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"Instagram." Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
Kharpal, Arjun. "Facebooks Instagram Hits 400M Users, Beats Twitter." CNBC. 23 Sept. 2015.
Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
Markovinovic, Monika. "Former Instagram Star Reveals Unhealthy Ways She Kept Thin." The
Huffington Post. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.

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"The Power of Social Media to Affect Our Health and Fitness." Greatist. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Sciortino, Karley. "Is Instagram Ruining Your Love Life?" Vogue.com. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
SDCDA. "Girl's Only Curriculum." Sdcda.org. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
WITW STAFF. "Australian Instagram Model Quits Social Media Because." Women in the World
in Association with The New York Times WITW. 3 Nov. 2015. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
Vries, Dian A. De, and Rinaldo Khne. "Facebook and Self-perception: Individual Susceptibility
to Negative Social Comparison on Facebook." Personality and Individual Differences:
217-21. Print.
Yamamiya, Y., TF Cash, SE Melnyk, HD Posavac, and SS Posavac. "Women's Exposure to Thinand-beautiful Media Images: Body Image Effects of Media-ideal Internalization and
Impact-reduction Interventions." Body Image: 74-80. Print.