The power of beauty or the tyranny of algorithms. How do teens understand body image in Instagram?

Instagram has become a powerful tool for both the consumption and the construction of body identity. Despite its increasing popularity, different studies suggest that young users are exposed to an increased risk of body dissatisfaction that can potentially lead to disordered eating and depressed mood. Current media literature has explored different factors that can affect body image perception in Instagram and have provided interventions to overcome them. However, there is a tendency of overlooking the role of artificial intelligence (AI) mechanisms as mediators in such platforms. AI mechanisms within social media platforms play an important role to the type of content users are exposed to, as recommender algorithms can expose specific body types to the users and overtime change their perceptions of a healthy body. This study aimed to explore teens´ understanding of social media algorithms and how they can affect the body image types they see on Instagram. Analysed data was derived from a media literacy workshop conducted during the first semester of 2021 in Barcelona. Following a quasi-experimental methodology, we developed a pilot exploratory research with a group of female adolescents (Mage = 18.5). Participants’ attitudes towards body image in Instagram and their knowledge of the filter bubble effect were examined before and after a workshop intervention. Analysis of body image attitudes revealed that participants were critical to depicted images in Instagram. Pre-test results showed that adolescents’ judgements were mostly directed to body stereotypes and the overuse of image editing tools. Social pressure and people’s low body acceptance were mentioned as the reasons for frequently seeing this type of images while the knowledge of social media algorithms was not relevant. Post-test results showed a better knowledge of social media algorithms (the filter bubble effect) among participants; nevertheless, image exposure and consumption were still connected to individual content/profile preferences. While depicting or consuming body image in social media may still be seen as an individual choice, there is little chance that educational interventions can succeed in raising body image awareness. The knowledge of external mechanisms such as social media algorithms can enhance youngsters’ understanding of body image as a collective experience that can be constructed or biased by group interaction patterns. Further research should consider implementing and assessing protection skills to reduce the filter bubble effect on youngsters’ social media interactions.

Palabras clave