Social media platforms and the self-image – an investigation into causes and social influence of image manipulation on generation Z, and the self-generated selfie
An extended essay submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for BA (Hons) Photography.
Abstract
In recent years, social media has continued to popularity worldwide and now seems to be almost everywhere in society (Chaffey, 2022, para.1). With the arrival of the smartphone revolution, a new era of communication emerged that transformed the way people interacted with each other and the world around them (Hall, 2021, para.1). A large part of young people's (Generation Z) lives now revolves around social media, specifically the practice of uploading "selfies." (Anderson & Jiang, 2018, para.1). Photographic editing apps have enabled unprecedented online image manipulation, allowing users to edit photos with a few clicks of a button. Image manipulations can create unrealistic beauty ideals which can have damaging impacts on people, especially young people (Kleemans et al., 2016, p,103). As the public becomes more aware of these beauty standards, the essay discusses this new phenomenon of photographic manipulation by exploring how these standards are manipulated and their impact on Generation Z.
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. David John Lake, for his support and guidance throughout this project. Thank you for all your interest and clarity. This extended essay would not have been possible without his insightful advice, patience, and constructive criticism.
Content Page
List of Illustrations
Glossary
Introduction
Chapter 1 – The Photograph Manipulated
Chapter 2 – Social Norms
Chapter 3 – Social Governance
Chapter 4 – Public Awareness
Conclusion
References
Bibliography
List of Illustrations
Figure 1, Robinson, P, H, (1858) Fading away , https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/302289#:~:text=Fading%20Away%201858&text=Robinson%20seamlessly%20combined%20five%20separate,She%20Never%20Told%20Her%20Love%E2%80%9D. [Photograph]
Figure 2, Poulter, S. (2011), After complaints that it was deceptive, the Advertising Standards Agency banned this Lancôme commercial featuring Julia Roberts in 2011. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2019162/Julia-Roberts-Christy-Turlington-L-Oreal-adverts-banned-airbrushing.html [Photograph]
Figure 3, Dodgson , L, (2022) ¸ Lindsay Dodgson normally (left) vs Lindsay Dodgson edited image (right), https://www.insider.com/influencers-edited-my-photos-to-make-me-look-completely-different-2020-6 [Photograph]
Figure 4, More Than A Body, (2014), Kelly Clarkson before and after photo manipulation on self magazine in 2009, https://www.morethanabody.org/photoshopping-altering-images-and-our-minds/ [Photograph]
Figure 5, Wright, M. (2021). Using filters, Elly Norris digitally darkens the Skinny Tan Ltd. product in her Instagram Stories, the Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/03/instagram-influencer-tanning-ads-banned-using-filters-darken/ [Photograph]
Figure 6, Rankin, J, (2019), Selfie Harm¸ https://www.rankinphoto.co.uk/special-projects/selfie-harm-2019#top [Photograph]
Figure 7, Cieslak, J. (2021). Reverse selfie campaign 2021, https://www.sookio.com/blog/dove-reverse-selfie-the-anatomy-of-a-campaign-dpwyrh [Photograph]
Figure 8, Thompson, R, (2016), Wrapped up in body image unedit campaign, Mashable https://mashable.com/article/unedit-body-image-photos [photograph]
Glossary
Bill (Law): A bill is a proposal for a new law or a reform to an existing law that is brought before Parliament for discussion (UK Parliament, 2019).
Filter: a filter is a premade template that is used to change how the captured image looks like (Computer Hope, 2021, Para.1)
Generation Z (Gen Z): those considered to be very familiar with the internet who were born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s (Oxford Learners Dictionary, 2022).
Photo editing app: editing app allows you to enhance your photos through filters, retouching, exposure, contrast, saturation and more (Freedman, 2012, para 4).
Photoshop: a name for a computer programme that enables image editing on digital image (Cambridge Dictionary, 2022a)
Selfie: a self-portrait that has been taken and shared online, especially if it was done with a smartphone or webcam (Oxford dictionary, 2022.)
Smart phone: a mobile phone with internet access and the ability to function as a computer (Cambridge Dictionary, 2019a)
Social media: websites and applications that let users share information and communicate online with one another using a computer or smart phone (Cambridge Dictionary, 2019b)
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA): the Advertising Standards Authority, a recognised body in the UK that monitors compliance with regulations regarding advertisements (Cambridge Dictionary, 2022b)
Introduction
People are photographing themselves more frequently and sharing those photos online because of ongoing advancements in photographic technology and the rise of smartphones in recent years (The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2018, para.1). With its front-facing camera and built-in internet access, the smartphone is a cutting-edge new gadget that has made it possible for people to access and share information and images on a variety of social media networking platforms from the palm of their hands (Hall, 2021, para1). The termed ‘Selfie’ first appeared in the Oxford dictionary in 2002’ to describe a self-portrait photograph, ‘typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media’ (Oxford dictionary, 2022). Although according to Robert Triggs, Senior Features Editor, (2017), it was not until Apple's iPhone 4 in 2010 and HTC's Evo 4G in 2011, this made the ‘Selfie’ become a global phenomenon.
As selfies gain popularity, nearly all manufacturers and photo-editing apps provide "beautification" and filter capabilities to alter the appearance of the original capture image. According to Computer Hope (2021), a filter is a premade template that is used to change how the captured image looks like (para.1) however, these filters just used on Photoshop but are now widely available on social networking platforms (para.2) allowing it to be easier to access. Generation Z are the generation that primarily uses social media (Wright, 2020, para.3) and manipulates their Selfie (Parry, 2021, para 6). According to Pew Research Centre, Generation Z involves of people born between 1997 and 2012. The oldest of this generation are 25 years of age (Parker & Igielnik, 2020, para 1). The behaviour of photo editing can be harmful to the individual as well as others viewing the image (Wright, 2020, para.4). As a result, society has created an unrealistic ideal of beauty. This essay uses imagery as a research method to investigate how these images have exploited or driven social norms, as well as the harm these images have had on society (Generation Z).
Chapter 1 The photograph manipulated.
Photo manipulation is the act to retouch aspects of an image which dates to the 1800s. Pioneering photographer, Henry Peach Robinson (1830-1901), used a process called combination printing which is an early example of photo manipulation (The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection, n.d, para.1). Combination printing is a mixture of prints and joining negatives together to create one singular image (SAA Dictionary, n.d, para.1). Figure one is an example of Robinsons well-known work where he used five single negatives to elucidate the immediate narrative of the family’s tragedy (Robinson, 2022, para.1).
The art form of being able to manipulate an image is still widely used in today’s digital society (Slater, 2021, para.1). The societal impact of this has formed the digitalisation (Third Industrial Revolution), began in the late 1900s and is characterised by the increase of automation and digitalisation through the use of electronics and the Internet (Ward, 2019, para. 9). With the arrival of the Fourth Industry Revolution, which is building on the Third Industrial Revolution characterised as application of information and communication technologies to industry (Ward, 2019, para.11), introducing the invention of the smartphones and the proliferation of social media platforms, changing the way society interact with one another.
Due to the invention of the Internet in the 1980s photo manipulation has become easily accessible due to the development of Photoshop in the 1987. Photoshop was the first image editing software created by two brothers John and Thomas in 1987, who sold to Adobe Systems Incorporated in 1988 (Lindblad, 2020, para.1). The first version of Photoshop was released in 1990 as an Adobe product (Pagin, n.d, para. 3). It became easier for the media to misrepresent reality and increasingly body image as Photoshop has become more prevalent in the fashion industry. Figure 2 is an illustration of Julia Roberts that has been digitally manipulated for a fashion advertisement, L’Oréal’s Lancôme, which was banned in the United Kingdom for manipulating the image too much so that it is different from what Roberts looks like in reality (Poulter, 2011, para.3). As seen in Figure 2, Julia Roberts's skin has been airbrushed to give her an airbrushed appearance. The eyes are brighter, there are no imperfections, the hair is brighter, and the nose is smaller. This photograph is an example of the media widely promoting unrealistic standards of beauty. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK's independent advertising regulator (IAB UK, n.d. para.1), banded the advertisement because it did not adhere to their code of conduct (The British Broadcasting Company, 2011, para.1). According to The British Broadcasting Company (2011), Jo Swinson, a Lib-Democrats member of parliament, noticed the issue with the L’Oréal’s Lancôme advertisement, who claimed that airbrushing coveys a false reality of beauty (para.2). Swinson believed that ‘bad advertising’ has a negative effect on people and can lead to body image issues within young people (para.5). L’Oréal’s Lancôme advertisement were banned due to them not being able to provide evidence of how much the images were retouched to the ASA. (para.11)
According to the National Eating Disorders Collaboration, (2021), people can feel dissatisfied with their bodies when viewing and comparing social media images and reading appearance-related comments, as they feel like they cannot look like the images on social media (para.10) this possibly can also lead to other issues such as the lack of self- esteem, self- worth, eating disorders and more (para.6). Photoshop changed how women were portrayed particularly in the advertising industry (Leigh, 2018, para.1). Before Photoshop women were portrayed more naturally within fashion imagery however it is common to see women now in these images to be thinner and have airbrushed skin (Taylor et al., 2018, para 1). Today, when it is the "norm" to think that images created through photo manipulation are real, it is clear that photo manipulation has massively impacted society.
Taking photographs has become easier due to the digital age, allowing them to be easily shared across the Internet. In today's globalising society, social media plays an increasingly important role in everyday life. The growth of social media has changed how people communicate and has created a need to share things such as photographs of one’s everyday life upon social media (The Education Magazine, 2020, para.5). However, social media platforms such as Instagram have changed how individuals see their self- image because individuals want to put the ‘best version’ of themselves online. This is in response to the effect of media ideologies and societal norms as social media plays an important part in forming young people’s identities. Nevertheless, social media has created a pressure to portray a 'perfect' life that can affect Generation Z negatively. Ilana Gershon, an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University, identifies media ideologies as “People's beliefs, attitudes, and strategies about how a media accomplishes its intended functions are referred to as media ideologies” (Ross, 2019, para.8 as cited by Gershon, 2010). It is these ideologies that influence how an individual switches between social media platforms. Posts on Instagram can be carefully chosen through receiving likes and, adding manipulation of photographs, such as filters (Ross, 2019, para.2).
The act of image manipulation common when taking a Selfie for altering the look of how the image looks before posting upon social media. According to Student Beans, (2021), “57% of Generation Z say they use filters on their posts to change how they look on social media” (Mortimer, 2021, para.3). There is an increasing popularity among young women of apps such as Facetune (Eshiet, 2020, p14). Launched in 2013, Facetune is an app that allows users to edit a Selfie such as teeth whitening, retouching and many more (Tishler, 2020). Apps like Facetune allow people to choose how they present themselves through editing. Some users who use apps like Facetune may struggle with self-esteem and feel insecure to show their ‘unfiltered self’ (Eshiet, 2020, p.14). The western media has generated unrealistic body ideals for women who consume this fashion imagery through social comparison without being aware of the artificial nature of the photograph (Zaidi, 2021, para.14).
Social media platform Instagram follows the rule of “take photograph first, text second” (Lee et al., 2015, p.552) which has allowed users to have self-presentation. Self- Presentation defines as “Presenting oneself in a way that manipulates or shapes the perception of others” (Cooks-Campbell, 2013, para.3) allowing oneself to express themselves to create the preferred impression such as through the selfie. Instagram users are under even more pressure because it is exclusively a platform for sharing images and editing them resulting to social insecurities and deceptive behaviours (Hancock and Toma, 2009). To elucidate users may look at old images where they feel like they are attractive or edit them with filters. Figure 3 is an example of Lindsay Dodgson normally on the left and the edited image on the right, where she edited her jawline, softened her lips, smoothed her skin, removed any under-eye bags, and brightened her eyes; the edited image turned out to be the most ‘liked’ on her Instagram profile (Dodgson, 2020, para.4). The distinct differences between the two images are highly indicative of the unrealistic beauty standards established on women by society. These beauty standards are unrealistic that an increasing number of women feel the need to edit their photos to meet the standards (Magazine, 2021, para.2).
Similarly, as Instagram depends on the interaction of photos it can be seen that the sociology theory The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Ervin Goffman could contribute to Instagram’s visual culture. Goffman explains that everyday life, social interactions can be compared to theatre, with people playing many separate roles on stage (Crossman, 2019, para 2). During social interaction, there is a 'front stage' where individuals are aware of an audience, and a 'backstage' where individuals can be themselves (Crossman, 2019, para 2). Despite this theory being proposed for face-to-face interaction, it can be utilised for interactions online due to Western societies idea of ‘beauty’ (Nesvadba, 2017, p8) as Instagram users want to manipulate Selfies to get a certain number of likes and interactions.
Chapter 2 Social norms
Every culture has different social norms that are ‘normal’ to them. Social norms certain rules and norms that guide many aspects of human behaviour in social interaction (Mcleod, 2018, para.6). These norms affect the way a person speaks, dress and beauty norms but following these are up to the individual; however, there is pressure from society to follow these norms (Mcleod, 2018, para.6). Before globalisation, cultures all had different views on a person’s appearance as beauty; however, due to advancements in technology, according to Hankart, (2018), there is today a more universal idea of beauty. Specifically, in Western society these beauty norms feature as thin body, light skin, high cheekbones, small nose etc. (para.7). These norms put pressure on people to follow a traditional path established by the society and culture in which they live in (Clarity Clinic, 2020, para.3). This can affect one’s mental health in various ways such as being anxiety-provoking, depression, lack of self-esteem (Clarity Clinic, 2020, para.16). With globalisation these social norms are present on social media platforms, Joanna C. Yau, a doctoral candidate, and Professor Stephanie M. Reichn, both from the University of California, found that there are three social norms through the awareness of self-presentation practises on Instagram and Facebook:
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Appear attractive –often women experimented with lighting and edited the original captures Selfie more than men (Yau & Reich, 2018, p.204).
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Appear interesting – being aware of what the target audience may engage with (Yau & Reich, 2018, p.201).
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Appear likeable- ‘likes’ can be seen as approval from social media users (Yau & Reich, 2018, p.201).
Social norms that users apply to present themselves via the edited image online portray themselves in more favourable light (Yau & Reich, 2018, p.205). To elaborate, this then ends up as a cycle for users to compulsively check whether the posts have a high interaction (likes) for people to validate themselves in a larger audience such as Instagram.
As mentioned above, Goffman’s theory of self-presentation indicates that identities can be flexible to change according to different situations. Different situations allow individuals to create unique identities whether that is face to face or online (Bij de Vaate et al., 2018, p1393). Due to the increase and development in technology, the use of personal photography is becoming an increasingly popular strategy for creating an online presence (Van Dijck, 2008, para.1). The Selfie can reconceptualise an individual’s identity which can be created with a person’s online identity compared to being offline (Bij de Vaate et al., 2018, p1393). Social Media allows an individual to create their identities through an idealised version of a self-image. Despite this, individuals often portray idealised versions of themselves offline as well. Therefore, allows them to present an idealised image of themselves that differs from their offline image (Bij de Vaate et al., 2018, p1393), especially with photo editing apps being easily accessible. Based on Goffman’s theory, it could be seen that selfies can show the "backstage" of Goffman’s theory because of the curation and setting up of the photograph. As the selfie acknowledges the performance as part of the curation of the picture, it combines the 'front stage' and the 'backstage' of Goffman's theory. (Verso Books, 2019, para.9). Once the picture has been taken, an individual may swipe through the selfies and see which images could be deleted, which then may be manipulated so that the selfie creates the identity the individual wants social media users to see (Verso Books, 2019.para.10).
When taking social media into account, Objectification theory could explain the behaviour of photo manipulation. The objectification theory is the framework for understanding what it is like being a woman in a society that sexually objectifies the female body (Psychology Iresearchnet, 2016, para.1). Women experience pressure from society to look a specific way, a behaviour known as self-objectification. This behaviour could result in body image problems for women which can lead to psychological issues such as depression and anxiety (Felig, 2020, p.8 as cited by Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Given Instagram’s aim of taking photographs and likes and receiving comments from users, this could be objectifying due to how the platform communicate beauty ideals. It is common on Instagram to come across ‘models’ that have perfectly posed images and many of these images will fit the beauty ideal (Meacham, 2021, para.1). The media acknowledging this idea of beauty has allowed it to become a social norm in western society. Instagram’s emphasis on imagery such as taking selfies could be seen to heighten the self-objectification process (Lamp et al., 2019 p2). This is because it is common to see perfectly- posed images of models that fit into these beauty norms that engage the “ideal” that individuals can see making it seem like it is a societal norm.
Young people feel pressure to conform to this idealised version of beauty, as defined by the media and the fashion industry, which has produced unreasonable expectations of beauty standards (Kassir, 2021, para.2). These fashion images became the norm as a result of the advertising industry's emphasis on profit (Halliwell, 2013, p510). The advertising industry would use false representations of what the model appears like, for example, changing how the model’s body looks (McBride et al., 2019, p9). Western fashion advertisements, for instance, typically utilise models with bodies that are thin and small (Volonté, 2017, p235). In the past, these fashion images would only reach their target audience through public campaigns or mass media; now, with the advent of the internet, this has drastically changed the way fashion images are circulated (Yan & Bissell, 2014, p197). These Western society norms of being thin, light-skinned, and so on have become "norms" in most cultures because of their widespread appearance in fashion imagery due to the internet.
These societal norms have been glorified by the media even before the invention of social media, particularly in the fashion industry. Through the magazine covers, fashion magazines such as Vogue has a history of promoting Western beauty standards throughout the world. Condé Nast owns Vogue, a global fashion and lifestyle company which have had a global influence on the fashion industries from 1892 (Hankart, 2018, para.2). Many of these magazines photoshop and glorify the beauty standards. Self Magazine published an issue in September 2009 with the singer, Kelly Clarkson on the cover. It was discovered that Kelly Clarkson’s appearance on the cover had been digitally altered to make her appear "thin”. The editor, Lucy Danziger, defended the editing done to Clarkson to make her “look her personal best” (More Than a Body, 2014, para.6). Figure 4 shows the difference between the photograph that was taken and the one that was altered for the Self Magazine cover. But it is not just the photoshop editing; a photographer may have purposefully staged Clarkson’s photo to make her appear slimmer (Kelby, 2009, Para.6). A fashion designer would have chosen outfits that concealed the “unflattering” areas. All of this is to create a visual image that is seemed as acceptable to the fashion industry (Kelby, 2009, Para.6).
Generation Z regularly consumes these fashion pictures that promote these aesthetic ideals, whether it is through social media or advertisements. Young people value fashion as it allows them to express themselves creatively (Griffin, 2020, para.7). In contrast, according to Steve Clark, (n.d), Hospital Director at Roehampton, manipulated fashion imagery could make a young person feel insecure about their appearance where they can compare themselves to the unrealistic images of the fashion industry (para.8). According to a recent study published in 2016, manipulative social media photos have a negative impact on young women's body image, anxiety, and self-esteem (Kleemans et al., 2016, p,103). Young people compare themselves to an artificial reality created by celebrities, peers and influencers, who manipulate photos to adhere to these beauty standards (Clarke, S, n.d, para.8). This can then have an impact on a young person's self-worth because the altered image might bring to light the young person's insecurities, which could then cause unhealthy relationships with their body image (Clarke, S, n.d, para.8).
Chapter 3 Social governance
Social media networks utilise algorithms to display material that people are interested in. These algorithms monitor user behaviour and analyse data to identify what consumers may find interesting (Barnhart, 2021, para.2). Through social media's algorithms, young people are constantly exposed to filtered images that promote unrealistic beauty standards which are harmful (McKenzie, 2022, para.1). Because content is personalised for individuals depending on their likes, social media algorithms might make the problem worse (McKenzie, 2022, para.1). A whistle-blower, Frances Haugen, from Meta released a document that said that Facebook knew that the products were damaging to teenagers’ mental health (Milmo, 2021, para.3). However, social media networks are aware of the negative effects of algorithms on young people (Milmo, 2021, para.3) Recently, in 2022 there has been a new bill being proposed in the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom called the ‘Online Safety Bill’. Social media platforms will be required by the Bill to take down all illegal content, preventing minors and adults from viewing it (Government United Kingdom, 2022 para.4). This bill was prompted by the story of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old who died by suicide in November 2017 after viewing harmful content on social media. Six months prior to her death, Molly saw content on Instagram that showed graphic images and slogans of depression, self-harm, and suicide (Satariano, 2022, para.28). Although Molly saw some content that was against their regulations, Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms, insisted that there was a balance between expression and safety (Satariano, 2022, para.33).
At the time of writing, the Online Safety Bill is undergoing changes in House of commons. The only way the bill is going to be proposed is if the tech companies would face up to two years of jail if the company breaches this bill (British Broadcasting Company, 2023, para.4). 43 Conservative members of parliament agreed to support this bill tech companies are made liable (British Broadcasting Company, 2023, para.2), Labour members of parliament also confirmed to the British Broadcasting Company that they will back the changes to the bill (British Broadcasting Company, 2023, para.8). The secretary for culture, Michelle Donelan, promised to respond to the members of parliament's suggestions in a "sensible way." (British Broadcasting Company, 2023, para.4). One could argue that holding tech companies accountable for algorithms created from codes would keep young people from seeing harmful content. It may not stop the young person from accessing this content, but it could minimise the risk.
It is nothing new that photo manipulation is widely used in advertisements and fashion imagery. As mentioned above The Advertising standards Authority (ASA) is the UK's independent advertising regulator (IAB UK, n.d. para.1). The ASA responds to any complaints from advertisements that could be considered harmful or offensive. One of the regulations that the ASA uses is that advertisements should not exaggerate, through photo manipulation, what the product can achieve (Advertising Standards Authority | Committee of Advertising Practice, 2021, para.1). These regulations are put in place to ensure that consumers are not mislead by the product, this was the case with the L’Oréal’s Lancôme advertisement with Julia Roberts (see fig.2). The ASA banned the advertisement due to L’Oréal’s not being able to provide any evidence that the advertisement was not filtered (Poulter, 2011, para 3).
The use of beauty filters in social media advertisements may mislead consumers, according to a new rule from the ASA. The ASA has always had strict guidelines on post-production within advertisements and has now applied these rules to the use of beauty filters (Carey, 2021, para.2). It acted after Sasha Pallari started a campaign #filterdrop, which encouraged users to post images in natural light and no editing. The ASA was made aware of an instance in 2020 where customers thought an influencer, Elly Norris who collaborated with Skinny Tan Ltd., used Instagram filters to enhance the products results (Carey, 2021, para.3) Figure 5 shows Norris’s Instagram story, in which she used a filter to darken the tanning product by Skinny Tan Ltd. The issue with this story is that the filter deceives the audience while improving the product's results. The ASA instruction Norris to remove the filtered Instagram post as it was misleading to the consumers (Roman, 2021, para.12).
The Digitally Altered Body Images Act was drafted by Dr. Luke Evans, a Conservative Party member of Parliament. In 2022, a bill was also introduced in the Houses of Parliament (Noble, 2022, para.1). This legislation aims to safeguard young people from the normalisation of photo manipulation though displaying a logo, which has created some unrealistic beauty standards, and will encourage individuals to be honest about photo manipulation online (Noonan, 2022, para.4). This law comes after Norway’s enforcement of the "Retouched Photo Law" in 2021 (Noonan, 2022, para.4). The law applies to both social media and advertisements. One could argue that if the legislation on digitally altered body images passes, the requirement to disclose whether an image has been altered could aid in reducing the negative effects of photo manipulation but not completely solve the issue.
Chapter 4 Public Awareness
Over the last few years, there has been public resilience that has called for an end to the use of photo manipulation in commercials and the media, seeking more natural images. According to Chloe Carr (2022), A social media app, BeReal, was founded in 2020 by Alexis Barreyat and Kevin Perreu and has gained popularity since 2022 (para.3). BeReal’s concept is that it sends a push notification at any point in the day, where users upload an unmanipulated photograph and have two minutes to post the photograph (para.4). BeReal is different from other social media apps as it allows users to be authentic without having to worry about the likes and followers; this is what has attracted Generation Z to use the app (para.4). With the massive growth of the BeReal, it is clear that Generation Z wants a social media app that does not promote unrealistic beauty standards. Furthermore, on Instagram, Generation Z has been using "photo dumps" (Nast, 2022, para.2), which are collections of photographs that can be anything from a selfie, food, location picture, etc. that are not organised in any order (Dubey, 2022, para 3). The idea behind photo dumps is understandable, as Gen Z could be trying to escape the pressures of social media (Dubey, 2022, para 3). By using photo dumps, it allows them to use Instagram without the pressure of beauty standards and social norms.
Complementary to this, British photographer, John Rankin Waddell (known as Rankin) created a series of photographs called Selfie Harm in 2019 that explored the impact of imagery on mental health (Mau, n.d, para.1). The series of photographs consisted of 14 teenagers aged 13 to 19 and allowed them to manipulate the image to how they felt were ‘social media ready’ juxtaposing these with the raw image (Mau, n.d, para.1). Figure 6 is an example from his series, the original capture image on the left illustrates how young people feel the pressure to change their appearance through editing apps and filters because of the societal norms. On the right, it is visible that the image has been highly manipulated. The image shows colour correction, the removal of stray hair, liquified eyes, the removal of imperfections, and a thinner nose and cheeks. On the other hand, you can see the photograph that was originally taken, showing the model before Rankin allowed the young people to manipulate the photograph. Comparing before and after photos allows people to see how much a digitally altered image can change someone's appearance (Haines, 2021, para.8). The "Selfie Harm" project by John Rankin demonstrates the effects of social norms influenced by media on Generation Z (Gillio & Parasco, 2019, p22). Figure 6 shows us that, despite photography being the main cause of influencing these social norms, photography is also being used to promote awareness against the norms. Society is becoming more aware of social norms and challenging them through the use of photography.
In the same way, Dove’s Reverse Selfie campaign in 2021 decided to fight against beauty standards. A moving image video for the advertisement shows a 13-year-old girl editing her selfie before posting it online (Cieslak, 2021, para.3). It also shows the effects of beauty standards that most young girls experience. The movie comes with a collection of photo posters (Cieslak, 2021, para.4). Figure 7 illustrates one of the campaign's posters that emphasises the effects of photo-editing apps by comparing before-and-after photographs. Through these posters and the video, the campaign highlights how digital beauty standards can affect young girls' perceptions of their appearance (Cieslak, 2021, para.4). However, Figure 7 also exemplifies how companies are challenging western society's standards of beauty through the advertising of a product to promote the idea that everyone should be celebrated and accepted, regardless of appearance. One could argue that companies like Dove are moving away from traditional fashion imagery that is frequently seen in advertisements. Contrary to L'Oréal's Lancôme campaign featuring Julia Roberts (Figure 2), Dove (Figure 7) uses their advertisements to emphasize the idea of photo manipulation rather than its cosmetic results. Dove's advertising strategy is a shift from L’Oréal’s Lancôme advertisement, as they are not adhering to the beauty standards that are set out by the beauty industry (Ferguson, 2020, para.1).
It is difficult to ignore the pressure that is put on young people from social media, advertising, and fashion industries. A student from Birmingham City University, Jade Johnson, produced a campaign called "Un-Edit," which demonstrated the influence celebrities and other influencers have on young women (Thompson, 2016, para.5). Johnson worked with one of her peers Laura Dawkes and created images for the campaign that shows the effects that Instagram has on body image (Thompson, 2016, para.6). Figure 8 is a campaign illustration that depicts a woman's body wrapped in cling film with verses of words that criticise social media's beauty standards and emphasise how they can be harmful to women. Johnson decided to create the campaign after experiencing how these beauty ideals made her feel and noticing that the edited selfies would receive more "likes" than her natural ones would (Dorking, 2016, para.3). She wanted to show women through this campaign that they are not obligated by the demands of idealised beauty. (Dorking, 2016, para.8). One could argue that campaigns like "Un-Edit" have contributed to raising awareness so that more young people are aware of how manipulated photographs have become in the media.
Conclusion
Considering everything, it is clear that photography plays a role in the problem of photo manipulation, whether it involves a selfie or an advertisement. Photoshop and other photo-editing apps, which has allowed users to alter a photograph to create a different version of themselves to fit into the western societal norms. Social media intensified the problem by creating a platform that normalised these images. This image manipulation has caused issues, particularly for Generation Z, who regularly consume fashion imagery that may have been manipulated to make them compare themselves to these standards, affecting the young people's mental health. As was mentioned in Chapter 2, these beauty standards that have been imposed by fashion imagery and digital alteration have given young people a culture of comparison and a poor perception of their bodies. The attitude of Generation Z is one that wants to change how image manipulation is used in society because they have witnessed the harm that airbrushing and other manipulation methods can do to an individual's mental health. This could be shown through the social media app BeReal, as mentioned in Chapter 4. Due to its emphasis on self-expression and authenticity when uploading a photograph. BeReal users are still only permitted to take three aphotos, but they cannot apply any filters to the images. For instance, there has been a rise in awareness of photo manipulation in recent years. The British government is introducing laws like the Online Safety Bill into effect (as mentioned in Chapter 4), which demonstrates an understanding of the problems young people face online and protects them. There have also been campaigns like Dove's and John Rankin’s "selfie harm" are using photography to advocate against the use of these fashion images.
However, despite all of this awareness, the problems with photographic manipulation will persist. Before posting a photo to social media, some members of Generation Z still decide to take the best one possible. Despite knowing the consequences of photo manipulation, they still take pictures that are highly filtered and edited. The awareness is just the start of being able to minimise the consequences of photographic manipulation. The Online Safety Bill is still being worked on at the time of writing, but it is the first action the British Government is taking to safeguard children from harmful content online. The Online Safety Bill may not stop young people from accessing this content online, but it will stop these algorithms from putting it directly in front of them. But the real question is: where will the British Government start with the education to read an image and the awareness being created to challenge the culture of photographic manipulation? Engaging young people with critical questions that help them understand the implications of the images they are exposed to could be done by producing images that advocate against photographic manipulation and making them easily accessible in art galleries, billboard advertisements, and other public spaces. Making the consequences of photographic manipulation more accessible to young people will be critical in educating the young people so that they can make informed decisions while online.
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