I have found that older theories like The Beauty Myth have elements that can be applied to social media and influencers like Kylie Jenner. There is pressure to achieve an unrealistic beauty standard which causes mental health issues, use of cosmetics and compulsion to edit photos. However, our society has changed, including the role of gender, meaning that elements of these traditional ideas of beauty are less relevant to some issues. It means we can see representation of different women who would not previously have been featured in the media. Although, some of these accounts may not be truly inclusive as acts of tokenism show. Social media has allowed for freedom and choice in the content we create and consume. 

 

Therefore, everyone’s experience of social media may not always be the same. For some it can be more liberating than others, but it depends on the individual. On social media, there are algorithms and companies like Meta, who own Instagram and Facebook, have a responsibility to prevent harm to its users. However, in the end it comes down to the individual, as no one will experience social media the same way. There are so many different content creators online that there will be a post for each perspective on each topic so, people will consume different content.

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I argue social media is still restricting women in terms of a beauty. Women are still feeling pressure to be beautiful online and in person. They are comparing themselves to influencers they see online and trying to achieve it. Statistics support woman are aware of the effect on their mental health. Women are trying to achieve beauty through extreme means including eating disorders and cosmetic procedures. Consequently, social media is still playing a role in restricting women through beauty standards.

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Nonetheless, it is helping liberate women. Social media has allowed for the creation of positive content that has not existed in other visual media. It has made people feel more confident and there is representation of new bodies not seen before, creating more diversity and body positivity. It has allowed for feminists to speak out and challenge ideals that previously went unquestioned. Still, each person will have a unique experience on social media so it will restrict and liberate some more than others. I believe social media can do both, it can restrict and liberate women from beauty standards.