Alyssa Fulton

Beth Kempton
ENGL 1101

The Unrealistic Image Social Media Creates

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, social media platforms have become the most

popular influence of everyday lives for millions of people. People use social media as a form of

entertainment, past-time, engagement, and even a way to show what’s going on in their lives. As social

media outlets have grown, many people have become “influencers” and use their large audiences to

persuade others about different ideas, share news, and show off their cool and different lifestyles.

When using social media and following different people’s lives, it can create an unrealistic perception of

the world we live in and even cause mental health issues.

Some may say social media is good for society, it easily allows you to communicate and keep up

with what’s going on. However, social media consumes both time and mental energy. In today’s reality,

almost everyone has a phone, even young people. The easiest thing to do on a cellphone is engage with

other people and create social media accounts to scroll through and post on. When using platforms like

Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, most of these sites promote influencers and show their pages without

you having to even follow them. When watching different people’s lives behind a screen, it’s easy to fall

into a trap of self-comparison and the need to fit into society’s social standard.

One of the many issues on social media is the filtered pictures that are posted online. Pictures

seem almost perfect, as far as pictures of food, vacations, selfies, etc. Many of these pictures are edited

or even have filters on them but are so commonly posted that it’s become almost a “norm” in society.
This leads to unrealistic perceptions online as many pictures aren’t portraying such true realities. Some

pictures are so well edited or filtered there’s no way to even tell if it’s an actual accurate representation

of what’s being posted. Tara Well, PhD. states in an article that, “Viewing the thin images increased

negative attitudes and body/facial dissatisfaction. Taking and editing the selfie increased both groups’

negative moods and facial dissatisfaction. Further, the time spent editing the selfies predicted the

degree of increase in facial dissatisfaction.”

Social media’s exposure to so many different peoples’ lives and lifestyles often causes

comparison problems to users online. Social media users want to meet the standard of social media,

watching countless people online with their perfect body types, beauty, vacations, etc. Since so many

lives are represented as “flawless” it’s easy to compare ourselves to others whether it be from body

type, or looks, to lifestyles. This can even cause things like eating disorders, or people to follow trends

that aren’t exactly portraying who they really are. Sarah Gabriele, in her Harvard blog, states that, “The

use of social media does appear to be correlated to body image concerns and low-self esteem. A

systematic review published in 2016 highlighted that photo-based activity on social media was linked to

negative body image. In analyzing the roots of negative thoughts, studies have further shown that the

activity of comparing ourselves is really what is detrimental to our own mental health”.

Another common problem with social media is the seek for validation. When posting on social

media, so many people focus on how much attention their posts are getting. Focusing on the number of

likes, comments, shares, views, or followers can become very consuming and even lead to the
questioning of ones self-worth and unrealistic self-perception. According to the Multidisciplinary Digital

Publishing Institute, “An individual’s following and the intensity with which people react to their posts

can impact their mental health. For example, ref. [22] reports that users who update more frequently on

their social media pages tend to receive more feedback in the form of likes and comments. This

feedback is important, as it enhances the self-esteem of post authors. Moreover, ref. [23] observes that

people receiving negative feedback from their social media posts are more susceptible to emotional

distress”. Studies have shown over time what the consequences are of these features.

It is undeniable that social media has negative effects and portrays such unrealistic perceptions

of the world we live in. From filtered pictures, self-comparison, and seeking validations from others, it’s

important we bring the consequences to light. Personally, I have limited myself on social media,

deactivated most of my accounts and I remove what may be harmful to me or my mental health, as far

as society as a whole, it’s important we are showing authenticity and protecting ourselves from the

negative aspects social media may cause.

SOURCES:

Beyari, Hasan. “The Relationship between Social Media and the Increase in Mental Health Problems.”

National Center for Biotechnology Information. 29 January 2023

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9915628/

Gabriele, Sarah. “The Filter Effect: What Does Comparing Our Bodies on Social Media Do to Our

Health?” Bill of Health. 15 November 2022

https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2022/11/15/the-filter-effect-what-does-comparing-

our-bodies-on-social-media-do-to-our-health/

Well, Tara. “The Hidden Danger of Online Beauty Filters.” Psychology Today. 25 March 2023

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-clarity/202303/can-beauty-filters-damage-

your-self-esteem