This episode is a documentary about how photo filters can affect body image in young people. Is it an issue with the social media companies, our usage, or us not reaching out for help? Where can we go for help?
Selfies are on every social media platform. From Instagram to Snapchat, we are not getting away from them. In recent years, we've seen a rise of photo filter use to amplify our appearance. Unfortunately, this has also come with reports of bad body image issues in young people, with many citing they want plastic surgery to look more like the filters. So, how dangerous are they? I caught up with my friend Katja about how she was affected by photo filters. Asking her, first of all, if she even used them.
Katja (:
On photos of my face, yes. I've never been that technologically advanced that I could filter my body. But definitely colour filters and stuff. Just a slightly more flattering light. Mostly what it was, there would be a really awkward pose, like trying to emulate what I was seeing in pictures. Like, "Oh, I know that person in real life, and they're not that skinny. Maybe that pose will help."
Katja (:
I was in love with Snapchat filters. That's another thing that I just don't don't use anymore, which was a weird turn around going from basically just for the fun of it using a Snapchat filter originally, and then getting really used to seeing myself looking just a bit better, a little bit amplified, I guess. It didn't seem insidious at the time until I realized that then, when I didn't have a Snapchat filter on and I was looking at a picture of my face, I was like, "Ooh." I've never had an issue with my face before. I mean, obviously some bits, and you're always wishing you could change small things. But then, I felt really uncomfortable when I came to the realization that when I just opened my front facing camera and was taking a photo at a nice angle that I just didn't feel like I looked nice.
Jodie (:
Katja is now on the other side of this and feels a lot better about her body image. She talked about this more when I asked if she experienced body image pressure on social media.
Katja (:
I don't think I would have said that at the time when I was consuming more social media, but I would say now that I'm not on it as much, I don't feel as much... I guess it would be body envy. The photos that you see on Instagram and stuff, it's not actually attainable. And to an extent, I think you can... Most people know that, but you still feel a pressure to be as close to that as possible.
Katja (:
If I look at my Instagram page in the past previous years, it's gone from posting more photos of myself, of my body or whatever, and trying to twist yourself in a positive light and look nice, and do your makeup or whatever. But the less I felt the pressure to do that, the less I've been posting about it. These days, I feel so much better about my body compared to when I just consuming more social media but I posted less. I'm happier with myself, but I don't feel the need to show off to get those likes, to get that validation.
Katja (:
It definitely gave me bad body image or it gave me, in a sense, low self-esteem that I didn't feel as good about my body because I was constantly bombarded with "This is what you should look like. These are the standards of beauty." And I can't even get the makeup. I can't even... I'm just not good with that type of thing. So there was no way I could even look like them on that basis. And yet I still felt like I had to try.
Jodie (:
So is a social media break all we need to curb the feeling of not being good enough? Mental health campaigner Hope Virgo believes that social media companies should be doing more to protect young people.
Hope Virgo (:
When we see young people, and adults, and celebrities using photo filters on things like social media, whether it's Instagram, whether it's on TikTok, it paints this idealistic view in our heads of what people should be looking like. And from the work that I'm currently doing in schools, I'm seeing more and more young people creating those comparisons with people that they are seeing online, which creates a really, really dangerous and difficult narrative in someone's head. And it also makes individuals, particularly those who maybe have a predisposition to developing an eating disorder, just not really feel quite good enough.
Jodie (:
When did you first become aware of these filters being harmful to young people's mental health?
Hope Virgo (:
I think it's been something that I've always been aware of, particularly over the last couple of years when we see more people using social media. And the whole era of the Instagram influencer as well has really put more pressure on that. But it's something that definitely got worse over the last year with the pandemic, partly because people are at home a lot more. So, as people are spending much more time scrolling on Instagram, scrolling on social media. But also, again, just that additional pressure when people are sitting with their feelings and their emotions, they might be feeling quite uncertain, having a bit of a bad day, and then they go straight onto social media and they start to go in that vicious comparative cycle.
Jodie (:
So, what can social media companies do about the harmful nature of some of the photo filters?
Hope Virgo (:
I think we need to come up with a bit of a plan of action to tackle it, if I'm honest. I know that places like Instagram and social media will say they're doing a lot, but at the moment I don't feel like it's enough. I think we need to, not only have some kind of warning when people do add a filter onto their photos, but also on social media I see those firms taking account for actually the damage that they're doing and they need to start being held account by the government. So, I think they need to be looking at what legislation we can bring in to really challenge this, to make sure that the right photos are being shared, that people have an understanding of, actually, these are the differences.
Jodie (:
As we know, social media companies take years to implement any positive change. So, where do we go in the meantime? I spoke to Jody Timms, a counselor based in Manchester, about where we can go for help with body image issues.
Jody Timms (:
First of all, I would say, speak out. If they are confident enough to talk to a parent, a friend, a family member. If they're not confident to speak up about it, I suppose they could maybe write something down that they are struggling. Depending on the severity of it, whether this self-esteem, low confidence issue is leading to anxiety, depression, which it can do, they can talk to a GP. If they want to get more information there is so much information online. If we start with the basic stuff like the NHS website, if you just type in self esteem or body image NHS, got a whole load of information on there. Mind, as well, is a brilliant charity. They have an index which covers every possible issue that you could possibly think of, and it's in depth. There's also a young minds website out there, which they can access information.
Jody Timms (:
So first of all, I encourage them if they recognize that there's a problem to speak out, gather the information. I am aware it's very, very difficult for them to talk to a parent, or a family member, or a teacher, or a tutor. That's when I would maybe look at some professional help, because my clients that come to me are in a space that is nonjudgmental. I'm not there to criticize. It's a completely different setting to what we're used to interacting with friends and family because you'll always have those friends and family members that will say, "Well, you look fine. What's going on? There's nothing wrong with you." But what that's actually doing is it's not validating their feelings. And that's what a lot of young people need. Even as adults, we need validation. We feel terrible. We don't like this about ourselves. A possible response could be, "How can I help you?" Just listen.
Jodie (:
It's obvious that there's no easy way to fix this issue. And it could be years before any social media company makes a positive change we need to protect young people. If you are struggling with any of these issues, please reach out to someone and get help. You are not alone in this.
