The Influence Of Social Media On Women

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Social media is a common medium for people communicate and get information. The society also has concerns about social media can bring significant influence to users. One criticism of social media will be the social media, such as Instagram, is promoting unhealthy image or representation of the female. Media content always emphasizes the ideal body of the female. Most of the famous Instagrammers are also with a thinner body or slim curve. The Instagram users who follow these famous Instagrammers will follow them to have a same diet and workout. Some of them are reported to have eating disorders. Hence, I ask: What are the attitude of the young female Instagram users about social media promoting an unhealthy image of women?

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Agenda setting refers to when media can influence the public attitude to a particular issue (McCombs & Shaw 1972). It is first developed in a study done by Max McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1968. When one issue keeps being talked and discussed in mass media, the public opinion will be affected (McCombs & Shaw 1972). The media is a powerful way to determine the public opinion. Social media is now taking over the main discussion in the society. Platforms like Facebook and Twitters are now more frequently used by people to get information. The information spread on the social media, unlike the traditional media, is also hard to prove the credibility. The role of users on social media becomes the producer of the source (Feezell 2017). Other users can also choose what they like to follow. It changes the way of traditional media agenda setting. The users now can also set the agenda for other users. The famous Instagrammers act as the authority that can set the agenda and lead the discussion. The trend of the famous Instagrammers becomes the standard of their …show more content…

Another criticism of the Instagrammers shape unhealthy image will bring mental health problem to the female users is because the users do not satisfy with their own body shape. However, the media has set women with a thin body and slim body curve are the standard of beauty (Maran 2012). Social media has further developed this idea. Some of the famous Instagrammers are normal people before they go famous on Instagram. They become an Instagrammer because of their ideal body shape. The followers of them will have the thought which they can also be like them. According to feminism, the physical appearance is not a standard to measure female (Muren & Seabrook 2012). The young female Instagram users do not have to have a diet and workout like the famous Instagrammers because of following the

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