Many Instagram communities negatively impact users’ perceptions of reality, highlighting the need for higher regulation on social media. Social media platforms like Instagram have become central to modern society, significantly shaping how we think, feel and connect with others. Social media communities are reshaping human society, offering significant benefits but also posing potential risks (Bainbridge, 2020). Although Instagram communities offer a space to connect and belong, the communities that form on Instagram are increasingly contributing to harmful outcomes. As seen in the case of Australian influencer Belle Gibson, Instagram communities have the capacity to drive harmful and risky outcomes. Using Gibson’s story and analysing the echo chamber effect in the health and wellness space, this essay argues that online communities on Instagram need to have stricter regulation due to the dangers of misinformation.

Instagram communities create a sense of belonging

While I argue that online communities negatively affect users’ perceptions of reality, it is important to acknowledge their potential positives. Online social media community groups like those found on Instagram can provide positive outcomes, including social support, a sense of community and friendship, and a place to share experiences and help others (Mills et al., 2024). Social media has revolutionised access to health information and support (Mo & Coulson, 2014). Positive outcomes for those in these groups include enhanced wellbeing, increased optimism, a greater sense of self-esteem, and improved coping (Mo & Coulson, 2014). Moreover, these groups allow people to build new friendships and expand their social networks (Gerritzen et al., 2022). Research shows that online community groups can be a valuable source of information, advice and support (Mo & Coulson, 2014). Yet, despite these benefits, online community groups have limitations and may even present dangers. Belle Gibson’s community is a prime example of someone who took this idea and worked it to her advantage and benefit by capitalising on those with cancer who were looking for community support.

Gibson exploiting her Instagram community

Belle Gibson’s Instagram community was based on her sharing the story of how she, after being told she only had four months to live, cured brain cancer through healthy eating (Price, 2021). Gibson rose to fame in the early 2010s on Instagram, and this led to the creation of a wellness app that was downloaded over 200,000 times in its first month (Donelly & Toscano, 2019). She published a book with Penguin and was the recipient of Cosmopolitan magazine’s ‘Fun, Fearless, Female’ award (Baker & Rojek, 2020). The extent and reach of her influence were clear as her Instagram community continued to grow, mostly attracting people who were also diagnosed with cancer and looking for a sense of belonging (Price, 2021). Gibson often promoted to her Instagram community that she raised and donated money to cancer research foundations (Donelly & Toscano, 2019). However, in 2015, news articles were published stating Gibson’s cancer claims were false and that she never fulfilled her promised donation payments (Donelly & Toscano, 2019). Her Instagram community quickly defended her in her comments (Donnelly & Toscano, 2019), demonstrating the extent of influence Gibson had on her community to defend her even when her actions opposed the truth. However, she was eventually charged with engaging in false, misleading and deceptive conduct (Donelly & Tuscano, 2019), showing how easily misinformation could spread within Instagram communities. 

This Instagram community allowed Gibson not only to gain online fame but also to form a parasocial relationship with her followers, showing herself as relatable to them (Baker, 2025). Gibson’s story highlights how Instagram communities blur the line between what’s real and what’s fake. She exploited her online community, which was founded on vulnerable individuals looking for hope, support and a sense of belonging, leading to a warped sense of truth. Gibson’s influence on her Instagram community was based completely on a lie. She negatively influenced the way users perceived cancer treatments and medical professional help, demonstrating the dangers of online communities with poor regulation and control. 

Instagram communities promoting questionable health advice

Instagram communities have the power to negatively influence users’ perception of reality, highlighting the greater need for more regulation on social media. According to Baker and Rojek, with more social media influencers offering health advice, it’s important to critically examine the social and cultural factors that allow these micro-celebrities to have a platform (2019). They share how Gibson’s story highlights the way social media allows people to build an online platform and community and the negative implications that arise (Baker & Rojek, 2019). Instagram influencers like Gibson build large communities by appearing relatable, authentic, and trustworthy, and in return, they gain emotional support, trust, and attention from their followers (Baker & Rojek, 2019). Baker and Rojek argue that social media allows influencers to form intimate, trusting relationships with their online community, blurring the lines between a celebrity and an ordinary person (2019). Gibson’s story shows how Instagram communities create para-social relationships, where followers feel emotionally connected to the influencer (Baker & Rojek, 2019). Gibson reflects a larger trend of how everyday people use social media to challenge professional knowledge, particularly in health and wellness (Baker & Rojek, 2019). She shows the dangers of unverified advice from influencers to their online communities, as Instagram amplifies their reach and credibility without needing expertise (Baker & Rojek, 2019). 

The rise of Instagram influencers is related to the concept of familiar strangers, where we recognise people but never interact with them personally. Instagram has taken this idea further by creating para-social relationships, even though they’re one-sided between followers and influencers (Baker & Rojek, 2019). These para-social relationships are built on trust between the influencer and the community, and Gibson’s success as an Instagram influencer was based on this (Baker & Rojek, 2019). Nonetheless, her claims were fake. Her popularity highlights a growing tendency of unethical trust in Instagram influencers who may not have the expertise they claim, ultimately increasing the spread of misinformation (Baker & Rojek, 2019). This highlights the dangers of relying on unverified social media sources for health and wellness advice (Baker & Rojek, 2019). 

Although health and wellness communities aren’t new in the physical world, it’s clear that the growth of Instagram has allowed them to reach a global audience. Instagram allows people to bypass traditional media to gain a platform and influence, often leading to what some scholars see as the democratisation of information. However, this opens the opportunity for misinformation and manipulation, as seen in Gibson’s case. Even though she lacked accreditation, Gibson was able to build deep trust with her followers, who believed she knew more than trained health experts. Ultimately, Instagram gave her the platform to create a persona for her community that seemed authentic and trustworthy, emphasising the need for more regulation on social media.

The echo chamber effect 

The echo chamber effect on Instagram is where users are exposed to similar views repeatedly, reinforcing their beliefs and limiting exposure to other perspectives through algorithms (Dutta, et al., 2025). This can result in polarised communities, limited diverse opinions and the spread of misinformation (Dutta, et al., 2025). The impact of the echo chamber effect can harm users’ mental health by creating unrealistic standards, particularly around appearance and lifestyle, and can cause issues like anxiety, depression and social comparison (Dutta, et al., 2025). The echo chamber also creates group polarisation, where users become more extreme after continually interacting with similar opinions (Dutta, et al., 2025). Dutta, et al. argue that to reduce the echo chamber effect, there should be government regulation to manage misinformation, creating a more balanced online environment.

The echo chamber effect directly relates to Gibson’s story as she built her influence on Instagram by consistently sharing the same narrative of how she cured cancer through her diet. As she gained followers, her content was tailored to the beliefs and interests of her audience, contributing to a cycle where people were repeatedly exposed to her false claims and perspectives. This created a community of hundreds of thousands of like-minded individuals who believed her story without being exposed to any scepticism. The echo chamber effect helped reinforce Gibson’s story, allowing misinformation to spread to her followers. Her community were likely to believe her story because it fits within their views for alternative health solutions, resulting in a polarised environment. As well as this, the emotional nature of Gibson’s posts, often portraying her as a victim of cancer, intensified the echo chamber effect. Users became emotionally invested in her story, amplifying her influence. Gibson’s story is a clear example of how the echo chamber effect contributes to the spread of harmful misinformation within Instagram communities, as it prevents any questioning and limits the exposure of accurate information.

Gibson’s influence stops cancer patient from completing chemotherapy

Instagram communities have the power to negatively shape what we think is true, how we feel towards things and the actions we take. In 2014, Australian mother of two Kylie Willey, who was diagnosed with cancer, turned to Instagram communities for support during her chemotherapy treatment (Price, 2021). She found Belle Gibson, the wellness influencer with over 300,000 Instagram followers who cured her cancer by eating healthy (Price, 2021). Gibson’s perspectives on health caused Willey to question her own treatment and eventually convinced her to stop her traditional cancer treatments and adopt the Gibson approach (Price, 2021). The fact that Willey trusted Gibson, who presented herself as a credible figure, demonstrates how easily social media communities can manipulate and exploit users’ perceptions. Once it was publicised that Gibson had lied about her cancer diagnosis, Willey felt betrayed and regretted her decision to follow the influencer’s advice (Price, 2021). Willey’s story illustrates how Instagram communities that are built on trust and relatability can distort reality, leading vulnerable people to make harmful choices based on misinformation.

Why higher regulation is needed for Instagram communities

Gibson’s Instagram community is a prevalent example of how online communities can negatively impact users’ perceptions of reality. This has clearly highlighted the desperate need for higher regulation within Instagram communities, especially in the health and wellness sector. Kaufman argues that social media platforms have very few legal requirements to control harmful content or restrict algorithms that have the potential to endanger public health and safety (2023). These platform algorithms have enabled health misinformation to spread rapidly and make it difficult for people to access accurate health information (Kaufman, 2023). As a result, many people have relied on the false information in their social media feeds, and if changes aren’t made, social media will continue to spread misinformation (Kaufman, 2023). What’s even more troubling is that the Gibson story happened 10 years ago, yet we’re still dealing with the same problem today. Moran, et al., state that influencers in the alternative health and wellness space make a profit on social media by posting misleading content and misinformation (2024). Without stricter regulations, Instagram communities will continue to spread harmful misinformation and undermine public health and safety.

It is clear that action needs to be taken to increase the level of regulation within Instagram communities. Like Gibson’s influence on Willey, Instagram communities have the capability to change the way we think, feel and act, ultimately distorting our perspective of reality. Although Instagram communities can provide a space for a sense of belonging and support, there are influencers who exploit this, such as Gibson. I argue that many Instagram communities negatively affect users’ perception of reality, emphasising the greater need for more regulation on Instagram, especially in the health and wellness space.

References

Websites

Price, H. (2021). Belle Gibson: The influencer who lied about having cancer. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/bbcthree/article/b2538e04-87f5-4af5-bd6f-f6cf88b488c4

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Journal and News Articles

Bainbridge, W. S. (2020). The Social Structure of Online Communities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108615211

Baker, S. (2025). Apple Cider Vinegar: how social media gave rise to fraudulent wellness influencers like Belle Gibson. https://theconversation.com/apple-cider-vinegar-how-social-media-gave-rise-to-fraudulent-wellness-influencers-like-belle-gibson-249432

Baker, S. A., & Rojek, C. (2020). The Belle Gibson scandal: The rise of lifestyle gurus as micro-celebrities in low-trust societies. Journal of Sociology, 56(3), 388–404. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1440783319846188 

Donelly, B., Toscano, N. (2019). The woman who fooled the world: Belle Gibson’s cancer con. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 26(2), 332-334. https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2019.1604301 

Dutta, S., Arviazhagan, R., Pradeep, E. (2025). Breaking the bubble: A case study on the echo chamber effect in Instagram 0(0).  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20438869251326279

Gerritzen EV, Lee AR, McDermott O, Coulson N, Orrell M. Online Peer Support for People With Parkinson Disease: Narrative Synthesis Systematic Review

JMIR Aging 2022, 5(3) https://aging.jmir.org/2022/3/e35425 

Mills, F., Drury, J., Symons, C., Weston, D., Amlôt, R., & Carter, H. (2024). Online support groups, social identity, and the health and wellbeing of adults with Long Covid: An interview study. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 34(5), e2849. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2849

Mo, P. K. H., & Coulson, N. S. (2014). Are online support groups always beneficial? A qualitative exploration of the empowering and disempowering processes of participation within HIV/AIDS-related online support groups. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 51(7), 983–993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.11.006