By Bhumika Hooda

Abstract

In the digital age, social media platforms have become integral to our daily lives, shaping our perceptions, behaviours, and self-image. Among the myriad content bombarding users, targeted advertising algorithms wield significant influence, particularly concerning body image ideals. This article delves into the intricate web of algorithmic reinforcements perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards, examining their impact on mental health and proposing strategies for a more inclusive online environment.

Algorithmic Reinforcements of Beauty Standards

Social media algorithms prioritise content that garners the most attention. Consequently, images and messages aligning with conventional beauty ideals tend to dominate users’ feeds. Most user feeds have content from conventionally attractive influencers. The algorithm functions to reimpose a narrow and homogenous beauty idea, showcased by a lack of inclusivity in facial features, body types and skin colour. An article found that TikTok used a Facial Recognition Technique to place an individual on a scale of 1-5 of “Facial Beauty Prediction”. The data collected indicated homogeneity of famous creators, largely Caucasians.

Another instance is how the algorithm tries to push content with women in revealing clothes or scantly clothed. A study found that Instagram showcased biased promotion of female influencers’ bikini and lingerie photos over their body-covering photos. Incidentally, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue has also reported that Instagram excessively recommends posts depicting the “ideal body” for females. It is harmful because of an extreme spotlight on a narrow representation of body type over a diverse one, which ends up making the user feel strange and left out. 

The promotion of certain types of content is dependent on visual appeal. Since this type of content is bound to get more views, such promotion is foreseeable. Secondly, algorithms use targeted advertisements based on behavioural feedback. If users engage more with certain types of content, similar concepts will come up in their feeds. 

Impact on Mental Health

Research shows how repeated exposure to “ideal” beauty standards on social media is proportional to increased body dissatisfaction and insecurity among users, especially female adolescents and young adults. Targeted advertising further aggravates this, bombards individuals with ads promoting products and services promising to achieve the elusive “ideal body.” A study found that exposure to appearance-related advertising on social media was associated with greater body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem.

The relentless exposure to curated content promoting narrow beauty standards takes a toll on mental health. Studies have linked social media use to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, with adolescents being particularly vulnerable. Social Media and online forms of entertainment make it incredibly easy to blur the lines between reality and the curated lives and bodies of celebrities and models. On an average feed, one minute, you see a photo of your friend holding a flower; the next, it is Kylie Jenner posing in her couture dress for Paris Fashion Week. It becomes so easy to compare one photo to another on a small rectangular screen in front of us that there is no difference between us, our friends or the celebrity, and it’s entirely reasonable for us to compare ourselves to the celebrity. Social media breaks that barrier, and the viewer starts conflating their online presence with the celebrity, paid to look like the beauty standard. Social Media promotes comparison with its never-ending supply of content.

Another significant impact on mental health is the phenomenon of social acceptability and social validation derived from social media. Likes, dislikes, comments, and shares are the currency that sustains this system. Likes have become much sought-after, and people go to extreme lengths for a few extra likes. Therefore, some people feel pressured to fit themselves into the narrow beauty ideal, which is often ignorant and lacks cultural, racial, bodily and sexual diversity. 

Targeted advertising algorithms may amplify these risks by intensifying the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty ideals, fostering feelings of self-doubt. Social media and targeted advertisements become an echo chamber for individuals, making it increasingly difficult to escape this algorithmic trap. The viewers are sometimes encouraged to buy products like “fat-burning gel” through promotions by influencers who check all the boxes of beauty standards. The allure is to resemble such models and influencers, but often, there is a lack of credibility for such products. 

Ethical Consideration and Solutions 

The algorithmic reinforcements on social media raise ethical concerns regarding user well-being and autonomy. Platforms must prioritise the ethical use of targeted advertising, considering the potential harm it can inflict on vulnerable populations. Media Literacy: Educating individuals on the constructed nature of online imagery and critically evaluating social media content is crucial. Regulation and Transparency: Holding platforms accountable for biased algorithms and promoting transparency in ad targeting practices is essential. Positive Representation: Diverse representation of genders, sexualities, and body types is the key to challenging stereotypical portrayals and fostering self-acceptance. Community and Support: Fostering online communities that promote body positivity, self-compassion, and acceptance can counter the negative influence of targeted advertising.

By raising awareness of these issues and advocating for responsible practices, we can work towards dismantling the harmful cycle of targeted advertising and creating a more inclusive and positive online environment for everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality.

Recently, Pinterest has taken a step to combat this homogeneity. It will employ techniques, through technologies like machine learning, to expose users to diverse body types so they become more accepting and tolerant. More social media apps should take the leaf out of this book to pursue this practice. 

Conclusion

Social media algorithms wield considerable power in shaping societal perceptions of body image, perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards on social media platforms. Recognising the adverse effects of algorithmic reinforcements on mental health is the first step toward mitigating their impact. We can cultivate a more inclusive and body-positive online environment by fostering transparency, promoting diversity, and prioritising user well-being.

Author’s Bio

Bhumika Hooda is pursuing her five-year B.A.LL.B. law degree at Jindal Global Law.  

Image Source: https://www.vivopl.com/learn-your-skin-type-and-how-to-treat-it/