Changed Times

MySpace was just the beginning of social media. It was a way for people to make friends and find new people. You no longer had to connect with people in your area, but could now connect with people globaly. Next came facebook. This new platform grew rapidly and took over MySpace. Then came instagram, twitter, snapchat and many more platforms. The fun idea of connecting with others abruptly became a channel to unattainable sociatal standards that have demolished the confidence of teenagers all over.

It is true that social media is an everyday part of our lives. Because of this, teenagers are seeing the ‘ideal’ body posted everywhere on all platforms. While the girls with a slim waist and hips that go out just the right amount gets praise in the comments, the larger girls get told they are unhealthy and need to diet or workout. The skinny girls are told that they also look unhealthy and need to eat a burger or put on weight. Today’s teenagers take notice of this attention whether good or bad and start to find themselves looking in the mirror 30 times a day insecure because they don’t look the same as the people getting praised. I have found myself looking in the mirror, tape measure in one hand and my phone in the other. On my phone are the ‘Ideal measurements for a girl’.

This is an issue for all teenagers no matter the gender. We do not take into account the countless photoshopping apps or the proffessial cameramen and models that know everything about angles and lighting. As teenagers we should be seeing all the reasons to love ourselves but we are blinded by all the things we are told to be insecure about.

Some influencers have taken it upon themselves to use their platform to expose the industry. They show all the ways that photos can be altered and try to promote body positivity. There are also many different groups that have been created where teens can go an uplift each other and maybe relate to each other about how society’s standards have impacted them mentally.

Even when trying to create something positive through social meia it backfires. These girls who have beem told they are not society’s ideal standard and they are now insecure. They have taken this insecurity and try to take down the girls that do have the ‘ideal body’. These girls are now getting hate comments because they are ‘trying to show off’ or they are ‘full of themselves’.

Social media is getting farther and farther from a platform to connect with others everyday. It has caused more diversity in this world than togetherness. I believe that a lot would need to change in order for social media to become a positive outlet for teens. Even though social media was created as a way to connect each other It has only negatively impacted the mentality of teenagers and it will take more than a few influencers to change these ways.

“Automotive Social Media Marketing” by socialautomotive is licensed under CC BY 2.0

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