Abstract

This paper explores the effect Instagram has had on the modern-day teenager, and how their identities are being influenced by its features. Whilst Instagram’s original purpose was always to share and promote people, teenagers have used the apps interactive features to compare their own sense of self with that of their peers. Features such as photo sharing, filter options and the like button have each created their own means for influence on the teenage population. Photo sharing and viewing has been associated with poor body image and self-esteem issues as this comparison made by teenagers is almost impossible to avoid. Filters also promote unrealistic beauty standards in which teens also may compare themselves to. Teenagers may also use these interactive features as a means for validation, with the like button serving as a quantitative measuring tool of popularity amongst teens. Overall Instagram promotes teens to value vanity-based qualities above other more important attributes.  

Full Text

In the digital era, the creation of an online presence has become a contemporary social expectation and has had a consequent effect on the way the younger demographic develops their identity. As explained by Watson (2019), identity refers to how individuals have a sense of themselves, and how they define themselves with consideration to their beliefs, values and roles in society. Teens are considered the more impressionable demographic in comparison to others, and this is evident from the negative affect social media has had on them (Watson, 2019). The new technologies available for globally widespread use are some of the many new external influences negatively affecting teenagers. Social media platforms on the internet, for example Instagram, have evidently cause an array of mental health complications in teenagers (Watson, 2019). In Australia teens spend an average of 14.4 hours a week online according to eSafety Commissioner (2021) and of those surveyed, a large percentage voted Instagram as their preferred platform of use. Since the emergence of Instagram, its culture has evolved with the development of its new and improved interactive features. Through new photo sharing options, the like button and filters, users can manipulate and shape their identities online (Instagram, 2022). Instagram’s culture has come to favour the narcissist perspective as many who use the app choose to post content about themselves. Tucker (2017) finds that people who build their self-worth from the criticism and comment of others tend to post self-portraits more frequently. As the younger generation crave a sense of belonging amongst their peers this makes them especially vulnerable on social media (Dr Jantz, 2017). The values of younger users who frequently use sites such as Instagram are becoming increasingly more vanity based as they focus more on their social status. Photo sharing features have become the optimal resource for image obsessed teenagers as they post photograph of themselves frequently for judgement. Filter options provided by the app have also promoted unrealistic beauty standards which have consequently affects the body images of many teenagers (Alarcon-Najarro, 2021). Unhealthy comparison of popularity through the like feature has also contributed to the validation users seek to confirm their identity. This paper will explore how the identity of developing teens is negatively influenced by interactive features of Instagram, such as viewing and posting content, using provided filters and interacting with the like button.

With the average teenager spending a large portion of their week participating in online activities, it is impossible the avoid the internet’s influence. 57% of teens claim that Instagram is their preferred social media application (eSafety Commissioner, 2021) and 37.6 percent of total Instagram users are between ages 13 and 24 (Statista, 2022). Instagram is an app where vanity flourishes, with many people posting photographs of themselves regularly (Tucker, 2017). Therefore it is easy to identify that physical attractiveness is becoming greatly valued by people who use Instagram frequently. As the younger demographic are such frequent users of the site this behaviour of seeking approval of one’s own social image is becoming more prevalent (Dr Jantz, 2017). Due to Instagram’s focus on vanity, it provides the perfect environment for comparison and whilst comparison is natural during a child’s development, constant social comparison can slowly deteriorate their mental health (The Washington Post, 2021). The effect on teenage development and understanding of their identity can be externally influenced and may cause teens to concoct nasty feelings towards themselves and their self-worth. They may begin to doubt their sense of themselves they had previously as a result of this constant comparison and need for social approval.

Whilst teenagers may find themselves comparing themselves to photographs content posted on the app, they may fail to understand that with the apps limited sharing features it cannot completely present a person’s life accurately. Despite there being several options in which users can share content, their identity only can be interpreted with limited perspective. A person’s identity in real life will always be different to their identity online as the characteristics they display in either world are unique. For this reason, people can construct their image online in a way that may be only partially recognisable to their real self. Creators offer a controlled perception of their daily proceedings through purposefully selected content (Internet Society, 2011).

Within the teenage demographic, the pressure of presenting this perfect image has proven to influence their mental health. Chua and Chang (2016) found that young girls feel pressured to present themselves as admirable on social media sites and as a result, providing the perfect image has resulted in a common anxiety. Research has also shown that engagement in photo-based activities such as photo sharing has been linked with a negative impact on body image (Cohen et at., 2017; Wallace et al., 2021; Prichard et al., 2021; Chua and Chang, 2016). Specifically, girls who participated in sharing photos of themselves reported having a greater dissatisfaction with their body image. Comparison is an obvious consequence of people attempting to put the best version of themselves on display. It is reported that a range of mental health complications including eating disorders, body dysmorphia and depression have resulted from engaging in photo-based activities (Wallace, 2021). Teens who are already conscious of public opinion may greatly be affected with the interaction they receive on their posts, as they have placed their image onto the site essentially for judgement and validation.

Not only is poor self-esteem and body dissatisfaction a result of these photo-based activities, but many young teens are also encouraged to believe the lifestyle they lead is unfavourable. Many high value influencers on social media are constantly posting content that flaunts their success and the lavish lifestyle they live. In an interview with CBC News, 17-year-old Scarelett Pourmatin, a Canadian teen who frequently uses social media claims social media makes it impossible for users not to compare their lives with others. She explains how their lives may appear “way better than [hers] or way more perfect” (CBC News, 2021, para.8). The teen further expresses how she occasionally feels depressed as a result of seeing her peers engage in fun activities as though her own life is less exciting than others. The comparison that results from constantly seeing others succeed can influence how teens perceive their own success and they may use these posts as indicators of their own failure (Laderer, 2018).

This supposed high standard of life users aim to achieve is easy to find on Instagram and as well as this, users may also present themselves according to standard of beauty that is promoted in society. What many users tend to ignore however, despite the communities’ counter efforts, is the extensive amount of time that creators may spend producing and editing their posts. People can manipulate angles, change lighting and almost reconstruct their photos entirely. Instagram even provides a range of filters which are a set of predetermined lighting options users can place over their photos (Tiggmann and Anderberg, 2019). In addition, there are also many face-filters available on the app that alter the users facial features. Although many have been created for comedic purposes, some filters were designed to enhance a person’s facial features such as reshaping them, smoothing over the skin or even adding makeup to the face. The purpose of these filters appears to be directed at “improving” the user’s physical appearance. This is potentially dangerous for the mental health of impressionable teenagers who are already conscious of their appearance. They may begin to rely on the use of filters when capturing photos of themselves and avoid taking photos without them. They may not choose to but begin to value their appearance as Instagram indirectly informs them, they are not on par with the beauty standards (Alarcon-Najarro, 2021).  

With unrealistic body idealisations constantly presented on the app, young individuals may become anxious of their own image. For example, they may think they are “not good enough” because they do not match societies distorted expectations (Cohen et at., 2017). One common aspect of the teenage experience is acne and when Instagram promotes clear skin, it further discourages many who are suffering with acne. Cultenea Life Science (2017) found through a survey aimed at teens aged 15-19 in the US living with acne, that participants felt social media sites such as Instagram made having acne more difficult and had negative effects on both their self-esteem and body image. 45% of teens have claimed that when using social media, they often feel embarrassed to post photos of themselves whilst having acne. The teenage community who are more likely to have acne may be more susceptible to identity issues as a result of social media as the commonly supported standard of clear skin is more accepted by online communities.

Whilst sharing photos is the main feature of Instagram, the “like” button is just as used on the site. Even though the feature is a commonly used tool over multiple social media sites, it has proven the most conflicting on Instagram. There has been a great debate on whether the like button provides significant functional purpose in comparison to its cost on mental health. While the like button can be used in marketing, its use for personal content can cause the owner to form an unhealthy obsession. The like button has always served a purpose of displaying popularity, however young communities have taken concept to the extreme. In a recent study it was found that teenage girls tend to use the like feature primarily for this purpose, and more detrimentally as a comparative tool to measure themselves against other users (Chua and Chang, 2016; Prichard, et al., 2021). Chua and Chang also found that girls who received a higher amount of likes on their selfies were considered more popular and attractive. On the flip side, girls who had a lower number of likes were known to feel slightly embarrassed or insecure. Likes have become a method for young girls to receive validation from their peers, as they are using other people’s opinions to form an identity for themselves.

In July of 2019, Instagram removed the ability for users to view the like count of other users on the app. The gesture by Instagram was felt widely by users as it removed the quantitative ability to measure one’s character (Prichard et al., 2021). However, in May of 2021 Instagram announced the reinstatement of the like’s visibility as the company believed they needed to provide the users with more control over their online experience. Many have speculated the decision made was business related however, Instagram has denied all these claims. But the question remains; If Instagram willed to make a depressurised environment for their users, then why would they restore this feature? Although users have a choice as to whether they show the amount of likes they collect, many teens may return to seeking validation from their peers and feel lesser than those who receive more likes than themselves (King, 2021).

Social media sites such as Instagram have become well established in the teenage community and are generally affecting the way identity is developed by the demographic. There is a new age of concerns due to the new and unexplored effects that social media is causing. Teenagers are dealing with an unhealthy amount of comparison nurtured by the Instagram app which is causing them to feel inadequate with their own sense of self (The Washington Post, 2021; Tucker, 2017). A large portion of teenagers who with the Instagram app presented with body image and self-esteem issues, due to the comparison. Teens also felt pressured to present the “best” versions of themselves which effectively caused many to develop a growing obsession with physical appearances and lavish lifestyles (Chua and Chang, 2016). Instagram has ultimately had a negative effect on the development of the teenage identity as many have come to value vanity-based attributes, such as attractiveness, popularity and success (The Washington Post, 2021). Instagram has provided ideal measuring tools such as the like button which has been associated with popularity status. Many have used Instagram to validate their feelings in an unhealthy manner which has often had the opposite effect on their mental health (Chua and Chang, 2016). Teenagers should limit their use of Instagram as it can heavily influence the future development of their minds and how they perceive themselves.

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