How Instagram, like Ban, will affect women? The answer is quite complex

July 18 marked the day Instagram began to hide its likes. Not for everyone, but for a small number of countries selected as part of an ongoing trial to see if removing identical accounts would remove the pressure that surrounds social media. This has caused a lot of gossip among influencers and ordinary people, but one thing that deserves attention is the way the Instagram-like trial could affect women.

As reported by the BBC, Instagram is testing the so-called "ban" in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Japan and Brazil. (A test had already been done in Canada.) Users will still be able to see the number of people who like their posts, but others will not be able to see the number. Instead, the name of a liker followed by "and others" will appear under each message. It is always possible to see who liked the publications of others, but you must manually add names to calculate the similar total number.

"We hope this test will dispel the number of" likes "that a publication will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love," said Mia Garlick, director of policy Australian and New Zealand Facebook, in a statement to the BBC. The reaction to the news was rather negative. Many have tweeted that "nobody asked for it, "imploring Instagram to restore chronological publications instead.

But that could end up being beneficial in the long run. Tastes have become the arbiter of popularity and success; not only for influencers who depend on social media platforms for their earnings, but for most Instagram users.

"Most women want to look and feel at their best – it's a natural part of life in our society," says Professor Marcos Sforza, cosmetic surgeon and scientific director of MyBreast Cosmetic Surgery. "However, I really believe that social media is spreading and reinforcing these unrealistic self-expectations, so much so that the number of" likes "that a social publication may have can have health consequences."

In 2017, Instagram was named as the most damaging social platform for young people. A Royal Society for Public Health survey of nearly 1,500 young people aged 14 to 24 found that their body image concerns worsened and that it caused feelings of depression. , anxiety and loneliness. 15% of teens surveyed during a survey conducted by the University of Chicago also lobbied for that they are always showing better. (Some positive points were noted, including feeling more informed and connected to people.)

But girls and women could be the most affected by the problem, if you do not care at the headlines. Women are about twice as likely to develop depression as men; one in four young women in England has a mental illness, according to an NHS survey; and like guardian reports, depression among girls has been linked to social media. It is still not possible to "say for sure that the use of social media causes poor mental health, although evidence is starting to point in this direction," Professor Sir Simon Wessely told the paper.

Body image problems are also a concern. Professor Sforza noted that currently, more than 30% of his clients "present visual references from social media influencers to show their look; people who often have thousands or even millions of people," he says. 39, followers and tastes ". He describes this as "a bright red flag" and advises beauty industry professionals to refer patients regarding a psychologist or psychiatrist.

"In theory, you can see how the use of Instagram makes it possible to establish a connection that is so beneficial to your well-being.It can maintain and strengthen friendships, provide communities ready to Employment to bring you support, give a sense of belonging to your "tribe", expand your knowledge and awareness of others, and be a way to be creative and self-expressive "says John-Paul Davies, counselor, psychotherapist and author of Find a balanced connection.

But "theory" is the key word here. "In practice, neurologically, you are more likely to prioritize two other concerns that you think are much worse," says Davies. "The first concerns your psychological safety and the second is your status within the group – your appearance and your comparison with others."

Both are "more likely to be dominant" among young people, he says – especially women. And it goes without saying that neither one nor the other lead to feelings of happiness. Seeing the likes of others and knowing that they can, in turn, see yours is "more likely to trigger comparisons of security and status that rarely feel good, regardless of the time period," notes Davies. Removing this ability could be a way for Instagram to "try to help you avoid the inherent obstacles to your integrated design that keep you from thinking and behaving in ways that make you happy."

Women's mental health can be stimulated, but will their careers be? According to Klear's influence marketing platform, 77% of influencers are women. To badume that the number of their followers is greater than anything else is incorrect. With robots and fake followers who encircle, it is the engagement rate of an influencer who really matters. Basically, it shows how much interaction their profile receives, whether through likes or comments.

If tastes are hidden, brands might be less likely to invest in an influencer or collaborate with them, which would have a negative impact on their finances. But many in the industry think that Instagram is going in the right direction. "I think it will encourage creative people to produce works, not just because the Internet thinks that they are popular," wrote Ally May Carey, adding that this could reduce the pressure on users of 39; Instagram.

In a statement sent to Bustle, Edward Fuller, CEO of influencer marketing agency Proseeders, said that "hidden as accounts" will not have a dramatic impact on [influencer and business] Companies such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have enabled brands, agencies and individuals to create software that gives them all the mobilization indicators they need to decide whether they want to work with an influencer or a partner. . a company."

Any impact – positive or negative – will not be obvious unless the Instagram trial becomes global. But, as Davies concludes, perhaps we are missing a larger question. "That, with human beings conceived as we are, [the company’s] to really fight in a difficult battle and that the best thing we can do for our well being is to take things in hand and spend less time [on] places like Instagram. "