Instagram: The Negative Impact Of Social Media

1353 Words3 Pages

Social media and its effects continue to expand as technology becomes more advanced. One of its drastic effects is the way in which using mobile applications such as Instagram can have a damaging influence on people, especially on young adolescents. Instagram is a mobile social networking site and mobile application that allows users to edit and share photos as well as videos. Instagram is mostly used by teens and young adolescents with more than half of Instagram’s base ranging from 18 to 29 years of age (Instagram & TechCrunch, n.d.). Interestingly enough, as of September 2017, the site has reached 800 million monthly active users. Plus, with over 40 billion photos shared ever since its creation in 2010 and over four billion photos being …show more content…

Vogel et al.’s study examined the impact of social comparisons on self-esteem, and the study’s participants were asked about their social media use, self-esteem, and social comparisons using questionnaires. Participants were also shown fake profiles on Facebook that differed according to upward or downward social comparisons. Vogel et al. used scales to measure trait self-esteem (i.e., Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and state self-esteem (i.e., State Self-Esteem Scale [SSES]) for assessing temporary changes in self-esteem. All of which was akin to our study and methodology, except that our study investigated Instagram instead of Facebook. Furthermore, Vogel et al.’s results suggest that frequent Facebook users had lower self-esteem due to those users regularly making social comparisons. As a result, Vogel et al.’s findings supported our hypothesis. Vogel et al.’s study is also important because the research highlights the extent to which society has been impacted by social networking sites, specifically Facebook, by mentioning several consequences that can occur. Thereafter, users may reconsider using the sites having known the

Open Document