CRITICISM OF INSTAGRAM
This article is an add-on to the criticism section on the main article of Instagram - very popular social media platform owned by Facebook.
ECOLOGICAL CONCERN
There are two sides of the coin when it comes to the relationship between environmental problems and Instagram. On the one hand, Instagram is one more platform to bring public attention to climate change and ecological problems. It is also a platform for gathering like-minded people, forming communities aiming to help the Planet. However, like any other internet platform that is being used on our smartphones, Instagram use has a harmful influence on the environment. According to CORE Doing economics [1], in one year of posting and sharing pictures on Instagram the approximate amount of CO2 emission is 405 tCo2, when, for example, Facebook usage produces 88 tCO2 worth of emissions. [1]
Taking photos on your phone does not impact the environment as much as posting them online. There is an invisible side to this process. Once the user clicks on the “Share” button on Instagram, the photo goes through several data centres and networks ,[1] and after that will be also stored on the data server. This process requires electricity and other resources on a daily basis and, as a result, CO2 is being emitted. [1] CORE Doing economics also came up with the Selfie Index[1] to measure the environmental impact of Instagram. The picture below demonstrates the emission amount of posting 10 selfies a day : [1]
Therefore, it is fair to say that one tree can hardly absorb enough CO2 to compensate for 10 selfies posted on a daily basis.[1] More than 100 million photos/videos[2] and 500 million stories[3] are posted daily on Instagram, so there is a considerable emissions impact from this activity visible.
ADDICTION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
There is serious concern that social media use can have negative effects on mental health. Scrolling through happy, travelling or carefree pictures of friends and acquaintances may lead to an increased feeling of loneliness or hopelessness. There have been many studies conducted to see the effects of Instagram and other social media on individuals.[4] They proved that people who spent a reasonable amount of time online feel unhappy and unsuccessful.[5]
Fake reality problem. One of the problems is that Instagram users tend to use the app for raising their self-esteem[6] and propagate their imago. That is being done by editing photos to hide possible imperfections and highlight athletic body shape. Instagram offers various editing options which are directly designed for this purpose - e.g. beauty filters. It also allows users to post previously edited photos from other platforms. And as a result, there are tonnes of photos presenting ideal-looking bodies, families and lives that are not exactly honest representations of reality. It may have a negative influence on other users, who may see their own bodies or lives considerably less ideal in comparison.
Cyber-bullying is another issue that Instagram users face.[7] Those users who prefer keeping their accounts open to the public may face nasty comments, hate speech and inappropriate behavior from other users. Anyone can send a private message, be it good or bad. One more thing is the reply button for the comment, meaning that anyone can reply to any comment left under the post. That can also provoke uncontrollable hate speech and insults for the user. There is no doubt any account can be reported and deleted for harassment or inappropriate behavior but the damage for the individual may already have been caused. In other words, Instagram may be a way to set unrealistic expectations of life which could provoke minor or serious mental problems, social insecurities and anxieties for the average user.
Addiction problem. The Instagram feed and Instagram stories are an integral part of modern daily life. Checking the feed and stories posted by other users urges its users to post more photos and videos to remain part of this digital society.[8] Only a decade ago scientists were talking about addiction to the Internet, today we are talking about addiction on the internet.[4] More and more people experience an urge to check social media multiple times a day. There is a direct reason for that. Instagram is an online networking platform that does not require a physical presence in a certain location and does not involve live interaction. Considering the conditions of today’s busy life, networking online is a solution.
Moreover, there is physiological addiction from the app. As it is a platform for sharing pictures, gathering likes (=approvals) and collecting comments, Instagram directly influences self-esteem and self-liking of its users. When self-esteem is a complex combination of the self-competence and self-liking, it mainly refers to the way an individual perceives his/her life success.[4] Self-liking is a more dangerous concept, as it is mainly connected with the way society reacts to the deeds and appearance of the individual. Usually, the individual sets some expectations and ideals for him/herself and expects approval from the rest of society. Thus, Instagram can be harmful to individuals with low self-liking, as they are seeking approvals and while seeking may get addicted to checking the feed and amount of likes or viewers of their stories, posting multiple photos a day.
PRIVACY ISSUES AND GDPR
Photos on Instagram are not private after posting. They can be easily reposted by other accounts. For example, a photo of your nice breakfast can be used as a part of the advertisement for the restaurant without you giving consent to it. Moreover, Instagram practically owns all materials uploaded to the platform. In 2012 Instagram added the following statement to its terms and conditions: “To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you”.[9]
It means that the users theoretically still possess ownership over the materials they shared, but practically Instagram has the license to use them.[10]
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been released on May 25, 2018. Its aim is to ensure secure and appropriate storage of data within cyberspace. The regulation affects companies, legal and private entities. It covers all parties involved in offering goods or services and storing personal data of EU-based users. Instagram has been affected by the new regulation as a part of Facebook. Just hours after the regulation had been released, Instagram along with other social network platforms have been sued over “forced consent”.[11] Now, all the ads, posts or any other data containing spots are being double checked with the help of a specially dedicated team.[12] Instagram also added an option of downloading personal data stored in the account if the user wants to leave the platform. [13]
There is a direct effect of GDPR on many parties involved as Instagram is a gigantic platform for advertising. For example, in order to get some sort of personal information (the lists of email, for example) for corporate needs, a company must have a legal right to do so before Instagram will share it. Moreover, thanks to GDPR strict requirements, the end user decides on whether to proceed with the website/app further in terms of data processing and storage.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "The environmental costs of being selfiesh" (PDF). CoreEcon. 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Instagram by the Numbers: Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts". Omnicore. Sep 6, 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Newberry, Christina (October 22, 2019). "37 Instagram Stats That Matter to Marketers in 2020". Hootsuite. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 KIRCABURUN, KAGAN (January 25, 2018). "Instagram addiction and the Big Five of personality:The mediating role of self-liking". Journal of Behavioral Addictions – via academia.edu.
- ↑ Hene, Yandisa (8 July 2015). "THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF INSTAGRAM ON YOUNG SOUTH AFRICAN ADULTS SELF- ESTEEM" (PDF). Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Yang, Chia-Chen (December 2016). "Instagram Use, Loneliness, and Social Comparison Orientation: Interact and Browse on Social Media, But Don't Compare". Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 19: 704 – via ResearchGate.
- ↑ "The Annual Bullying Survey 2017" (PDF). Ditch the label. 5: 26. 2017.
- ↑ Sholeh, Achmad (September 2019). "A New Measurement of Instagram Addiction: Psychometric Properties of The Instagram Addiction Scale (TIAS)". Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Patel, Nilay. "No, Instagram can't sell your photos: what the new terms of service really mean". The Verge. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Terms of Use". Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Li, He (24 January 2019). "The Impact of GDPR on Global Technology Development". Journal of Global Information Technology Management: 3 – via Taylor&Francis Online.
- ↑ "What is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?". Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Tannam, Ellen (25 April 2018). "WhatsApp and Instagram announce new changes ahead of GDPR". SiliconRepublic. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
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