THE SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE

Social media has lately been a heated topic of discussion; especially after Australian Instagram star Essena O'Neil came out telling the ugly truth behind the photos she daily posted. Many people argues that Instagram only is a platform for self-absorbed people to show of, that it gives room for fake bodies and fake lifestyles and that it, as a whole, is a channel spreading unrealistic goals and ideals. However, I'm wondering to what extent this might be true.

Social media has always been something I have enjoyed and I want to believe that I've used it wisely and that I haven't let it impact my life a great deal. However, I do agree that it can be a channel spreading bad influences and that it surely can have a negative impact on some people but not on everyone using it. Like most visual content (magazines, reality shows and advertisements) people are faced with today, it's about having the ability to distance yourself to the information you are feed with. It is about knowing and not forgetting what's realistic and what actually is important in life. I don't think it is fair to judge or blame the people behind Instagram accounts who choose to show off a great body or a desirable well travelled lifestyle. I would like to say that it's up to the individual what they choose to do with the information they are faced with however, I know it is not that simple.

It can quite strongly be argued that it's mostly young people who are faced with the unrealistic life or image goals via social media and that it surley could have a negative impact on their life, but it's hard to know who the bad guy is. Is it Instagram for allowing this information to spread or the people who choose to do it? I believe it can be argued that social media platforms can contribute to something good because of the exact same reason that it can be harmful, it can be used by anyone and everyone. This means that anyone can post what ever content they I feel like and that some of it probably won't send out the best messegae to young people. However, it also means that it allows for an endless variaton of people, styles, personalites, lifestyles, fashion, inspiraton and interests to come together, to have a platform and allow likminded people to connect. I believe this is the reason why I personally really enjoy it.

So Instagram might be under critic by some (or many) because of the type of content dominating the news feeds at the moment, but I believe that the current type of content are trends and trends change. Soon it won't be interesting to see another green detox juice recipe or another perfectly shaped bikini body. I believe that other types of content will start to come through more and more because people change and what people like and are interested in, change. Even though social media probably never will be completely free from "harmful" content, it's important to remember that its first and foremost purpose is to inspire and connect people, which it absolutely does. I think if more people thought about what they post and how they come across as well as people realizing that the grass impossibly always is greener on the other side, we will have a healthier social media climate.