The 2017 video “Are you Living an Insta Lie? Social Media Vs. Reality” from Ditch the Label campaign, addresses the rise of social media “influencer culture” which during the time had just become a more prominent widespread trend. It depicts the growing concern of self comparison to what we see online and how social media platforms can impact our well being. Ditch the Label is a global charity whose content is targeted towards teens and young adults to help promote emotional and mental well being in digital spaces. Their webpage highlights how the founder formed the organization after he faced bullying in school and posted about his experience online where he received a community of support. His goal was to develop an online space for teens and young adults to receive support for what they may be going through including mental health, identity, and relationships. The exigence of Ditch the Labels campaign video is a response to the rising popularity of platforms such as Instagram in 2017, which nearly doubled its user base in two years during this time according to TechCrunch. While instagram helped broaden an online public square for individuals to share their lives and express themselves there are also facets that come with negativity such as the rise in disingenuous content setting unrealistic standards for young people.
There are also greater mental health consequences of anxiety and depression among young people coupled with the rise of these media platforms. A 2020 study conducted by the National Institute of Health found that “frequent exposure to social media was found to be linked to higher odds of anxiety and depression” (Zubair). The study further details how those who were more active on social media were more likely to be self conscious and less satisfied with their lives. Ditch The Label includes various aspects of this study implicitly in their video through showcasing how social media culture causes us to strive towards unattainable standards and present a “perfect life”. This point is persuaded through the actions of the characters within the video, seeking to create scenarios to post online to receive validation from others through comments and likes. This can create an emotional dependency on validation from social media, contributing to a cycle of preformative posts which cultivate attention but lack authenticity.
Within the video campaign, actors display feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and desperation creating what the video labels as “Insta-Lies” attempting to fit in with the content they see from others online by being dishonest in their posts. The content is successful in the way it displays young adults interacting with social media presenting relatable situations, trying new foods, taking photos of our outfits, or being at dinner with friends because these are realistic scenarios that the audience can relate to. The progression of the video transitioning from one individual to another viewing the previous person’s post provokes feelings of competitiveness, but instead of presenting themselves genuinely the characters feel pressured to “one up” each other with their posts. The characters in the video use various creative methods in order to live up to the expectations of social media. This is present from the opening scene in which a woman goes to the bathroom to get ready and put on makeup, only to get back into bed and take a selfie like she had just woken up. In another scene a man drives out to a scenic spot to take a photo of himself with a bike helmet on, making it appear as if he has been out biking when the image has been artificially configured to make it appear that way. Each scene exemplifies a similar behavior of creating falsehoods. Engaging in its transitions from one person to the next the video displays a cycle of imitation where no one is being honest about their experiences.
The campaign further depicts how social media fosters a sense of emotional disconnect in the sense that their actions and interactions with the world around them are driven by social media. Consistent themes of lacking genuine face to face connection are highlighted by the display of the actors living through phone screens instead of being present in the moment. In one scene a group of friends are at a restaurant and they are collectively on their phones interacting with instagram posts instead of engaging with each other. The waitress then comes to their table to take a photo of them where they all look up and act like they are enjoying each other’s company only to go back to their phones when the camera is down. While arguably the individuals are attempting to connect with those in an online space it is also a superficial interaction. While they are sacrificing time and effort to make themselves appear a certain way on social media, everyone in the video is contributing to a digital illusion. Through their attempts to build up this illusion the characters have lost a sense of connection to the world around them because they are engaging with social media instead of connecting with their friends who are right next to them.
There is additionally a lack of consciousness particularly through concepts present that social media idealizes materialism and wasteful consumption with its ever changing trends. Suggesting how individuals are always searching for the next best thing instead of being satisfied with what they might already have. An element of this lack of consciousness can be showcased through wasteful consumption in the video when a man takes a photo of his green juice drink for a healthy juice cleanse trend on Instagram, only to end up throwing it away without drinking it. This further portrays how posts on social media only display a small piece of the story and can easily be staged in a way that is not always embedded in reality. It also brings attention to the prevalence of over consumerism on social media with some influencers encouraging others to buy into certain diets such as a juice cleanse or additional products they are endorsing but may not even be satisfied with the product they are attempting to sell you.
We can also view themes of insecurity perpetuated by social media standards. One such scene this is present is when a young man attempts to take a selfie in a mirror trying countless times to get the right angle and changing his flannel shirt twice, however those viewing his post would have never realized the amount of effort he put into the one selfie he eventually posts. It appeals to the idea that we want to look effortlessly put together and are self conscious of how others perceive us. Exhibiting the pressure individuals face to conform to said standards online.Throughout the video there is a constant state of comparison of characters making themselves appear as if they’re engaging in an interesting activity the moment they view a post from another individual. Cultivating an identity that is dependent on social media.
The video implicitly argues the broader reason why individuals are doing this is due to issues surrounding our self esteem and that we don’t feel sufficient with showcasing our authentic lives. In one instance in the final scene a woman comes home where she gets into a disagreement with her partner but takes a photo of them together to post on social media. She posts this photo while she sits by herself upset however in the selfie they both appear content. Suggesting how this ideal of perfection can be harmful to ourselves and others when comes at a detriment to our real world relationships. The video ends with the woman beginning to smile because her post starts to get likes. Showcasing how the characters are deriving a sense of self worth from online engagement over valuing the connections they have in real life. Overall the emphasis of the video depicts how some individuals are so plugged in online it serves as a disconnection between our interactions with the real world and inhibits our ability to become more engaged with one another and our communities. Coupled with themes of a loss of consciousness, Ditch the Labels campaign gives insight into how comparing ourselves to others and pursuing perfection can lead to inauthenticity.
“Ditch the Label | Youth Charity | Mental Health, Bullying & Relationships.” Ditch The Label , Ditch The Label Youth Charity, www.ditchthelabel.org/about-us. Accessed 30 April 2024.
Constine, Josh. “Instagram’s Growth Speeds up as It Hits 700 Million Users.” TechCrunch, Yahoo, 26 Apr. 2017, techcrunch.com/2017/04/26/instagram-700-million-users/.
Zubair U, Khan MK, Albashari M. Link between excessive social media use and psychiatric disorders. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023 Mar 27;85(4):875-878.
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