Social media is popular among youths globally as a way of communicating and accessing information. For Kuwaiti adolescent youths, logging into social media platforms is a daily activity that is now part of their lives. Instagram is the most popular social network, such as Facebook, Pinterest, WhatsApp, and Twitter (Keles et al., 2019). Instagram impacts the lives of Kuwait students who become addicted to the platform and adjust to the life they expose themselves to on Instagram. The adjustment due to social media exposure significantly impacts the individuals leading to addiction and other mental disabilities. This study will assess the impact of social media on youth’s self-esteem and help design a way of getting a positive influence from what they come across on the social media platforms. Besides, the study will explore the impact of social media and reveal the possible ways to resolve the social media addiction issues affecting the youth.
The study will take place in Kuwait, and it will involve an online survey sent to students on Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp. A robust infrastructure to enroll the students at the high school level in the study region will include numerous cohort stratifications based on gender, age, and Instagram usage. Data collected using an online survey will help identify the peer counselors and youth leaders who will guide the students through the tempting times in their lifetime. This study will address the global problem affecting the youth’s mental health and provide possible solutions to boost self-esteem and avoid unnecessary pressure in life. Work by Keles, McCrae, & Grealish., 2019 indicates that exposure to social media affects the way the youths behave when they become adults. The study hypothesis is that there is a positive correlation between social media Instagram addiction and decreased self-esteem among Kuwaiti school-going youth.
The selected trend for further examination is widespread among Instagram users, and it is posting blurred pictures from their everyday life. This choice is conditional upon the apparent correlation between this practice and societal shifts, which should be traced in order to reflect on people’s changing aesthetic preferences. For example, the recent photos of many influencers created for their followers are already affected by this trend (see Figure 1). Hence, the standards of beauty as they are perceived by individuals are evolving, and their consideration might be useful for determining the way this mechanism works.
Figure 1. Kourtney Kardashian and her boyfriend in Disneyland
Article 1: The Aesthetics of Instagram
Summary
The first article for the future study is devoted to the role of Instagram in forming the aesthetic perceptions of the population. The authors claim that it is confirmed by the orientation of this platform on visual content, enhanced communication with the help of pictures, and the availability of numerous tools influenced by people’s preferences (Masdari & Hosseini Sarvari, 2021). In this piece, the scholars examine the development of this platform and conclude on the themes of nostalgia, retrospection, and subjective experience (Masdari & Hosseini Sarvari, 2021). These ideas guide the progress of Instagram and determine its dependency on users’ self-centeredness.
Relation to the Visual Trend
The relation of this article to the selected trend can be described through the lens of increasing one’s worth. In the case of celebrities, advertising is a priority, and the inspiration is evoked by posting aesthetically pleasing images (Holm, 2016). By blurring the pictures, they make them resemble old photos and seem to thereby invite the audience to reflect on the shared experiences (Masdari & Hosseini Sarvari, 2021). The social underpinning of these pieces is, therefore, explicit, and this modality is complemented by the lack of clarity in composition and simplicity of technological solutions, alongside the absence of definite lines and shapes (Rose, 2011; Tishman, n.d.). Hence, this source can be used for examining the motivation of content creators.
Article 2: Becoming a Semiotic Technology
Summary
The second article for analysis of the trend narrates about the historical development of Instagram and its instruments. In this piece, Poulsen (2018) writes that features and filters evolve over time, and both their number and potential use change. This publication examines the previous literature on the subject to detect the shifts and discuss the gathered data from the perspective of the platform’s development (Poulsen, 2018). In the end, the scholar concludes that the interactions between users are continuously realigned with the emergence of new technological solutions, and their patterns can be determined by paying attention to the available tools.
Relation to the Visual Trend
The link between this article and the trend for posting blurred pictures is the societal aspect of Instagram changes and their cultural significance. The innovations in this respect are similar to those of a toothy smile as the main attribute of all photos in the past (Kotchemidova, 2005). Since its emergence was conditional upon the policy of companies producing equipment, visual technology seems connected to the subject alongside content (Kotchemidova, 2005; Rose, 2011). In addition, the observations guided by their ambiguity can be seen as cultural characteristics of the time (Tishman, n.d.). Thus, the analysis of the visual trend will be more precise when relying on its dependency on technological factors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the selected sources are to be helpful for analyzing the tendency of Instagram users to post blurred photos of low quality. The first article will allow revealing the motives of content creators who prefer the corresponding filters, whereas the second publication will be useful for a thorough examination of technological processes. In this way, the findings will be diverse and include both the psychological aspect and the tools satisfying the demand, stemming from it.
Masdari, F., & Hosseini Sarvari, S. H. (2021). The aesthetics of Instagram: Exploring the aesthetics of visual and semantic aspects of Instagram. Journal of Cyberspace Studies, 5(1), 59-78. Web.
The problem of social media addiction troubles the minds of numerous researchers (Balakrishnan & Griffiths, 2017; Hou et al., 2019; Turel et al., 2018; Tutgun-Ünal & Deniz, 2015). Some researchers focus on different types kinds of platforms, including YouTube (Balakrishnan & Griffiths, 2017), Facebook (Hou et al., 2019), and Instagram (Martinez-Pecino & Garcia-Gavilán, 2019). While some researchers state that increased use of social media has a negative impact on user self-esteem (Hawi & Samaha, 2017), others found a positive correlation between increased social media use and self-esteem (Ellison et al., 2007). Thus, the relationship between self-esteem and social media use remains a matter of controversy.
Factors affecting the likelihood of developing addiction can be subdivided into four different groups, including social, technological, behavioral, and mental (Al-Samarraie et al., 2021). Excessive social media use is one of the central factors affecting the likelihood of developing an addiction to social media (Al-Samarraie et al., 2021). Other factors include well-being, anxiety, depression, loneliness, fear of missing out, increased use of smartphones, passive co-use of technology, gaming, and lack of self-control (Al-Samarraie et al., 2021). It is crucial to notice that some researchers see low self-esteem as a consequence of social media addiction (Hawi & Samaha, 2017), while others see increased use of social media as a cause of developing addiction (Al-Samarraie et al., 2021).
The present paper aims at analyzing the relationship between Instagram addiction and self-esteem in undergraduate students to address the identified uncertainty about the effect of social media addiction on self-esteem. This study assumes that increased active Instagram use is closely correlated with the intensity of addiction in undergraduate students based on the study by Al-Samarraie et al. (2021). Thus, the study utilizes the active use of social media as an equivalent measure of social media addiction. The research was guided by the following research question:
RQ1: What is the relationship between social media Instagram addiction and self-esteem in undergraduate students?
Literature Review
The effect of social media use is reported to have a mixed effect on the user. On the one hand, some studies demonstrated that active social media use has a positive impact on social capital (Ellison et al., 2007) and connectedness with friends and relatives (Verduyn et al., 2017). On the other hand, extensive social media use is believed to be associated with negative outcomes, such as depression (Lin et al., 2016), inadequate smartphone use (Al-Samarraie et al., 2021), and dissatisfaction with one’s life and body (Hinojo-Lucena et al., 2020). At the same time, some researchers argued that social media use has no real effect on users, as the effect sizes of the majority of studies are very small, which implies that even though the results were statistically significant, they had no real implications to practice (Orben et al., 2019). Thus, there is a significant amount of controversy around social media use and its consequences.
While the research results are uncertain about the user outcomes, social media addiction is reported to have a mostly negative impact. Hou et al. (2019) stated that social media addiction had a negative effect on the mental health of college students, as it was associated with depression and anxiety. Additionally, Hou et al. (2019) reported that social media addiction negatively affected academic achievement and engagement in studies of undergraduates. Hawi and Samaha (2017) reported that social media addiction had a negative impact on satisfaction with life. The relationship was partially mediated by the self-esteem of the participants (Hawi & Samaha, 2017). At the same time, social media addiction had a negative impact on employee productivity (Priyadarshini et al., 2020).
It is crucial to notice, however, that social media addiction is reported to have a mixed effect on subjective well-being. Priyadarshini et al. (2020) collected qualitative data from employees in different spheres that reported a negative impact of social media addiction on their sleeping patterns, backache, and eye strain. In other words, Priyadarshini et al. (2020) revealed a negative correlation between social media addiction and subjective well-being. Zhao (2021), however, reported a more complicated relationship between subjective well-being and social media addiction. Gaming use of social media was associated with a negative impact on subjective well-being, while social use of social media was associated with a positive impact on subjective well-being (Zhao, 2021). Thus, it may be concluded that social media addiction may have a mixed effect on subjective well-being depending on the type of use.
Social media use is reported to have a mixed effect on self-esteem as well. On the one hand, excessive social media use is associated with negative self-esteem, the dependence of approval on social media through “likes,” and feeling of envy (Hawi & Samaha, 2017; Priyadarshini et al., 2020). At the same time, Al-Samarraie et al. (2021) reported low self-esteem to be one of the risk factors of social media addiction. On the other hand, Verduyn et al. (2017) report that self-esteem has a more complicated relationship with social media use. Active social media use is reported to have a positive impact on self-esteem, while passive use is associated with a negative impact on social media us (Verduyn et al., 2017).
Using social media is also often associated with positive outcomes, as it supports the generation of social capital. Verduyn et al. (2017) explained social capital as benefits earned from a social network, such as a feeling of belonging. Ellison et al. (2007) stated that active use of Facebook is associated with increased levels of social capital. The higher the user intensity is, the more likely a user is to generate social capital (Ellison et al., 2007). Additionally, it should be reported that self-esteem is strongly correlated with subjective well-being (Yang et al., 2019).
The analysis of the literature review led to the following conclusions. First, social media addiction may have a varying effect on self-esteem depending on the type of use (Hawi & Samaha, 2016; Priyadarshini et al., 2020; Verduyn et al., 2017; Zhao, 2021). Second, active Instagram use is expected to have a positive impact on the self-esteem of undergraduate students as Instagram does not offer gaming (Verduyn et al., 2017; Zhao, 2021). Active use of social media for social needs is associated with a positive effect on self-esteem. Finally, intensity, which is defined as the strength of emotional connection to social media, is expected to mediate the relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem (Ellison et al., 2007; Verduyn et al., 2017).
The conclusions of the literature review can be translated into the following hypotheses:
H1: There is a positive correlation between Instagram addiction and self-esteem in undergraduate students.
H2: Intensity of use mediates the relationship between self-esteem and Instagram addiction in undergraduate students.
The present study is expected to close a significant gap in the literature by contributing to the understanding of the complicated relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem. In particular, it will add to the discussion of how excessive use of Instagram impacts self-esteem of undergraduate students. At present, the findings concerning the relationship between these concepts were contradictory (Hawi & Samaha, 2017; Priyadarshini et al., 2020; Verduyn et al., 2017; Zhao, 2021). The findings of the present study will add to the current body of literature by testing a statistical model to understand if the intensity of use has a significant mediating effect between Instagram addiction and self-esteem.
Methods
Method Selection
A qualitative approach was used to answer the research question. According to Saunders et al. (2019), a quantitative approach is appropriate when a researcher needs to test a hypothesis or theory. The quantitative approach aims at deriving information from numerical data by applying mathematical and statistical tools (Saunders et al., 2019). Thus, quantitative is appropriate for the purpose of the present study, which is to analyze the relationship between two identified variables using hypothesis testing.
Data Availability
The present research used secondary data to answer the research questions. In particular, a dataset created by Trifiro and Prena (2021) and published by Boston University was used. The dataset includes 44 variables and 359 responses from undergraduate students from different universities in the US. The dataset does not have any copyright restrictions and can be used by anyone.
Sampling
The data was acquired using the snowball sampling method. According to Parker et al. (2019), snowball sampling is a purposive sampling method usually used for qualitative research. Since it is not a probability sampling method, not all members of the population have a similar chance to become a participant in the study. The data collection procedure started in January of 2018 and lasted for six months. A total of 411 questionnaires were acquired, among which 358 were usable. The participants were recruited by posting advertisements in Facebook pages and Instagram channels of Universities. Some participants were also offered to participate in the study for extra credit. The only inclusion criterion was being an undergraduate student in one of the US higher education institutions. The study was approved by Institutional Review Board. The gender and age distribution of the participants is provided in Figures 1 and 2, respectively.
Figure 1. Gender distributionFigure 2. Age distribution of the sample
Survey Questions
The survey used by Trifiro and Prena (2021) included 36 questions subdivided into six sections. The first section included three demographic questions (sex, undergraduate status, and age). The second section was included eight questions measuring the intensity of Instagram use. The third section had five questions measuring subjective well-being. The fourth and the fifth sections measured active and passive Instagram use, respectively. The final section measured self-esteem.
Variables
The present research studied the relationship between three variables, including Instagram addiction, the intensity of use, and self-esteem. The description of methods for measuring the variables is provided below.
Instagram Addiction
As it was mentioned in the introduction to the present paper, the present paper assumes a close correlation between social media addiction and excessive Instagram use (Al-Samarraie et al., 2021). Therefore, the level of Instagram addiction was seen as a near equivalent of active social media use. Active social media use was represented as a sum of five questions of the instrument developed by Gerson et al. (2017). Instagram addiction scores varied between 5 and 25, with a mean of 15.03 and a standard deviation of 3.89.
Intensity of Use
The intensity of use was measured using an adapted scale from the study by Ellison et al. (2007) by replacing the Facebook-related questions with Instagram-related questions. The measure included a self-reported evaluation of Instagram behavior using a five-point Likert scale. A sum of eight questions was used as a measure of intensity. The scores differed between 8 and 44, with a mean value of 32.74 and a standard deviation of 7.58.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem was measured using Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Diener et al., 1985). The variable was quantified as a sum of ten five-point Likert scale questions. The scores differed between 11 and 44, with a mean of 31.01 and a standard deviation of 5.71.
Data Analysis Procedures
The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) 26. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used. Haye’s (2013) macro was used to perform mediation analysis in SPSS. This model assumed that, first, self-esteem should be regressed using Instagram addiction. Then, the intensity of use should be regressed against Instagram addiction. After that, self-esteem is to be regressed against Instagram addiction and Intensity of use. If the p-value of Instagram addiction is decreased, the mediation exists. The significance of mediation was measured using bootstrapping. The significance level for all the tests was α = 0.05.
Results
Descriptive Statistics
Means and standard deviations of all the variables were provided in the methods section. This section provides a summary table for all the variables (see Table 1 below).
Table 1. Descriptive statistics
Instagram Addiction
Self Esteem
Intensity of Use
N
Valid
359
359
359
Missing
0
0
0
Mean
15.03
31.01
32.74
Median
15.00
30.00
34.00
Std. Deviation
3.889
5.710
7.581
Skewness
-.248
-.220
-1.035
Std. Error of Skewness
.129
.129
.129
Kurtosis
.012
-.240
1.300
Std. Error of Kurtosis
.257
.257
.257
Range
20
29
36
Hypothesis 1
The hypothesis was tested using Pearson’s correlation analysis and linear regression analysis. Pearson’s correlation coefficient for two variables was 0.126 with a significance level of p = 0.017, which indicates a positive linear correlation. Regression analysis also demonstrated a positive linear relationship between the two variables with p = 0.017. However, the effect size was modest, with R2 = 0.16. This implies that 1.6% of changes in self-esteem can be explained by Instagram addiction. In summary, the data analysis found significant support for Hypothesis 1 with a limited effect size.
Hypothesis 2
Hypothesis 2 was tested using the mediation PROCESS model (version 4) created by Hayes (2013). The analysis revealed that there was a significant mediation effect of Intensity in the relationship between Instagram addiction and Self-Esteem. The summary of results is provided in Table 2 below. The summary demonstrates that the effect of Instagram addiction became insignificant after applying the PROCESS mediation model, which supports Hypothesis 2. However, the effect size of R2 = 0.3 is also limited, as only 3% of the changes in self-esteem can be explained by the model.
Table 2. Mediation model results summary
Variable
Intensity of use
Self-esteem
Instagram addiction
Coefficient: 1.07 p-value: < 0.001
Coefficient: 0.08 p-value: 0.401
Intensity of use (Mediator)
–
Coefficient: 0.1 p-value: 0.033
Constant
Coefficient: 16.65 p-value: < 0.001
Coefficient: 26.55 p-value: < 0.001
Effect Size
R2= 0.3
R2= 0.3
Discussion
The results of the analysis revealed that both hypotheses were supported. This implies that Instagram addiction is positively associated with the self-esteem of undergraduate students. However, the effect of Instagram addiction on self-esteem is indirect, as demonstrated in the mediation analysis. The relationship is mediated by the intensity of use. This implies that Instagram addiction may have a varying effect on self-esteem depending on the nature of the engagement. In particular, the higher the emotional connection to Instagram, the higher the effect on self-esteem. In other words, if an undergraduate student is addicted to Instagram and does not feel any emotional attachment to social media, the effect of self-esteem may be negative. However, as the analysis suggests, the higher the Instagram addiction (active use level), the higher the emotional attachment (intensity of use) of these undergraduate students.
The research finding provides a possible explanation for the controversy in the literature about the relationship between self-esteem and social media addiction. Social media addiction may grow to the level when a person does no longer feel any emotional attachment to social media but continues using it regardless. This can lead to a negative correlation between social media addiction and self-esteem, as mentioned in previous research (Al-Samarraie et al. 2021; Hawi & Samaha, 2017; Priyadarshini et al., 2020). At the same time, if a person is addicted to social media at preserves high emotional attachment to it, the effect of social media on self-esteem is positive (Ellison, 2007; Verduyn et al., 2017).
There is another possible explanation to the results of the present study supported by Zhao (2021). As mentioned in the literature review, Zhao (2021) reported that social use of social media had a positive impact on subjective well-being, while gaming had a negative impact on subjective well-being. Since self-esteem is strongly correlated with subjective well-being (Yang et al., 2019), it may be concluded that social use of social media has a positive impact on self-esteem as well. Since Instagram does not offer any gaming options, its use is associated with positive associated with self-esteem in undergraduate students.
While the results of the analysis provide an explanation for the controversy in the current body of literature, there are some limitations of the study that must be acknowledged. The primary limitation of the present study is the use of secondary data. The researcher did not have the chance to collect primary data to measure social media addiction using appropriate scales. For instance, Hou et al. (2019) utilized Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale and Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale for measuring social media addiction. The present paper assumed that the correlation between Instagram addiction and active Instagram use is high enough to treat these concepts as near-equivalents. However, it may not be an accurate measure of the Instagram addiction, which in turn led to biased results. Such inconsistency may serve as another explanation of inconsistency between the results of Hou et al. (2019), who stated that there is a negative correlation between self-esteem and social media addiction, and the present study.
Another limitation of the present research is the effect size. The coefficients of determination for all models were very low, demonstrating that the models had a low predictive ability. This implies that self-esteem is a very complicated matter affected by a wide variety of factors. Thus, discussing the implications of the present study for practice is challenging.
Hayes, A. F. (2013). Methodology in the social sciences. Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression based approach. Guilford Press.
Hinojo-Lucena, F. J., Aznar-Diaz, I., Caceres-Reche, M. P., Trujillo-Torres, J. M., & Romero-Rodriguez, J. M. (2020). Instagram use as a multimedia platform for sharing images and videos: Links to smartphone addiction and self-esteem. IEEE MultiMedia, 28(1), 48–55. Web.
Parker, C., Scott, S., & Geddes, A. (2019). Snowball sampling. SAGE Research Methods Foundations.
Priyadarshini, C., Dubey, R. K., Kumar, Y. L. N., & Jha, R. R. (2020). Impact of a Social Media Addiction on Employees’ Wellbeing and Work Productivity. The Qualitative Report, 25(1), 181-196.
Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019) Research methods for business students. Pearson.
The issue of the influence of social networks on modern society and, in particular, on the younger generation is actively considered by representatives of various scientific fields. The Instagram social network is particularly popular among users due to an unconventional way of communication – nonverbal and iconic. The possibility of technical solutions when processing photos for posting on the web and an emotional and evaluative background turn Instagram into one of the most popular media resources. As a result, this resource assumes the role of implementing many functions necessary for the existence and development of modern society. Thus, today, the social network is becoming a socio-cultural phenomenon that determines the values, norms, and rules of modern society.
Main body
Instagram is not a random app on one’s phone: it is integrated into the daily lives of many teenage girls. The platform is used as a tool for self-expression, identity formation, and a way for girls to compare themselves with the online community (Agosto et al. 250). Teenagers are looking for approval and rely heavily on the approval of their peers and Instagram followers when posting an image online. As a result, teenage girls tend to post positive and uplifting content to make them look interesting and cute to attract the attention of their subscribers.
Moreover, content posted by teen-adored celebrities creates potential problems for teens watching them—such challenges as physical and social comparison, which leads to dissatisfaction. Most celebrities on media platforms publish images of the “perfect picture.” It fascinates, promotes, and praises a slim and toned body because the ideal of subtlety is associated with positivity, success, and attractiveness (Duffy 138). This leads to the fact that many girls feel pressure and uncertainty if they do not belong to the category of the ideal thin body. Many teenage girls view these images on Instagram and start analyzing themselves. Self-objectification can be a very dangerous action that leads to constant monitoring of how one’s body looks to determine whether it meets the internal standards of appearance of images of the “ideal image.”
Girls objectify themselves because they feel that their Instagram followers evaluate and watch them. There is a cultural standard of beauty that magazines, television, and advertising prefer to use (Granados 99). This cultural standard includes a slim body with beautiful makeup on the face, which normalizes the unrealistic ideal of the body, which makes it very problematic because many teenage girls look at these photos (Johnson 340). This standard set by society makes girls feel that they have to follow this standard to fit into society and feel accepted in it. Thus, teenage girls feel the need to constantly compare and self-objectify their social and physical qualities with their peers and celebrities on Instagram (Lee 89). The female body has long been the subject of careful study, resulting in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, which are among the most serious health problems of teenage girls (Lorinc 52). The best-known factor contributing to anorexia and bulimia is a negative body image and a high degree of dissatisfaction with oneself. Dissatisfaction with the body means dissatisfaction with the shape and size of one’s body and appearance.
This subtle idea of beauty is a success because the projection of beauty, strength, success, value, and love comes with thinness. This is demonstrated through Barbie, Bratz dolls, television, magazines, and video game characters. This ideal is embedded in the heads of young girls at a younger age (Martin et al. 215). Instagram has a feature that allows users to comment on other users’ photos. On Instagram, users observe how attractive people get attention and respond positively to their appearance. This increased internalization can then draw users’ attention to their observed physical features to determine which traits will or will not be met with a positive assessment (McDonald et al. 80). It corresponds to increased indicators of self-objectification and increases the anxiety of appearance to look attractive.
These ideals, a slim body, and full makeup create a strong pressure on girls who think they need to match them. They cause a comparison of appearance, which serves as a direct intermediary between the use of Instagram and attention to increased anxiety (Trudeau 977). This reasons great concern because these girls are trying to change to be what society likes (Montoya and Scott 86). Then teenage girls begin to compare their realistic, flawed personalities with perfectly created images posted by online friends and celebrities who, in their opinion, correspond to these ideals.
Conclusion
By way of conclusion, for years, the media has portrayed an unattainable ideal of a woman’s body. This sad reality has affected many women of past generations and a new generation of young girls who have lived their lives through Instagram. Negative reviews of photos of girls lead to the fact that they experience a contrast between themselves and thin and taut idealized bodies, which then causes a feeling of depression. Thus, “perfect photos” always lead to constant comparison, which leads to less positive self-esteem, including feelings of inferiority, decreased body satisfaction. Even though the negative psychological consequences of this phenomenon persist to this day, there have been positive changes in the fight against eating disorders, anxiety, and depression, which at the same time affect young girls. This is because body image has finally become part of the conversation in modern society.
Duffy, Brooke Erin. “‘And Now, a Word from Our Sponsor’: Attracting Advertisers, Building Brands, Leveraging (Free) Labor.” (Not) Getting Paid to Do What You Love: Gender, Social Media, and Aspirational Work, Yale University Press, 2017, pp. 136–84, Web.
Granados, Marlowe. “I Turn My Camera On: Notes on the Aesthetics of Tiktok.” The Baffler, no. 54, 2020, pp. 96–103, Web.
Johnson, Matthew. “Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship: Approaches to Girls’ Online Experiences.” EGirls, ECitizens: Putting Technology, Theory and Policy into Dialogue with Girls’ and Young Women’s Voices, edited by Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves, University of Ottawa Press, 2015, pp. 339–60, Web.
Lorinc, John. “Your Kids, The Influencers.” Corporate Knights, vol. 14, no. 2, 2015, pp. 50–53, Web.
Martin, Florence, et al. “Middle School Students’ Social Media Use.” Journal of Educational Technology & Society, vol. 21, no. 1, 2018, pp. 213–24, Web.
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Social media can be excellent platforms for promoting specific brands and improving the products’ image among consumers. Instagram has been noted as one of the most successful social networks, often used by corporations as a suitable advertising medium. In a recent article by Belanche and Pérez-Rueda (2019), Instagram Stories’ effectiveness in advertising is compared to the Facebook Wall, another instrument for promoting particular content among the public. The authors outline three interesting statements based on their research: the higher productivity of Instagram stories, the disturbance caused by the Facebook Wall among millennials, and the improvement the consumers’ attitude by using Instagram Stories.
Firstly, the authors argue that advertisements used in Instagram Stories are more effective in contrast to those on the Facebook Wall. It is noted that Instagram Stories advertisements are perceived as less intrusive and more dynamic, which, in turn, reduces the negative effects that advertising typically has on consumers. After that, the scholars state that participants from the millennial generation demonstrated elevated disturbance toward the Facebook Wall advertising, which decreased the effectiveness of this type of promotion. Belanche and Pérez-Rueda (2019) suggest that this result might be connected to the static images used in Facebook Wall advertisements, which reduces the customers’ engagement. However, as this effect was only related to the millennial generation representatives, it is possible that such disturbance is caused by the lack of interactive content. Considering that millennials might be used to the dynamic and moving content of the current media posts, static advertisements may differ greatly from such materials. Lastly, the enhancement of consumers’ attitudes towards advertisements was primarily linked to Instagram Stories advertising, which the scholars also connect with the dynamic nature of these promotions.
With the progression of the technical age, which reached its influence into countless spheres of the current human condition, came the inevitable – the reassessment of each and every sphere. The ethical domain of human perception and relations cannot be excluded from this influence. As with anything that the now-omnipresent technology has touched, ethics were found to be in need of re-evaluation; with the novel ways of connectivity, the question of what can or should be considered ethical or unethical in these conditions arose. The 21st century tech giants became the reigning monarchs with absolute power in the establishment of this new world. As these companies have been coevolving with the Internet, they were – and still are, due to their unique position – free to act as they see fit in this uncharted territory. Due to this, a new understanding of ethics is emerging – particularly in the areas concerning privacy and the rights of an individual in the digital space.
The Dilemma
Such are the set of ethical – or rather, deeply unethical at its core – norms that are going to be addressed in the present study. The case concerns a particular timeframe in the history of Instagram, just several months after Facebook’s acquisition of it. In December of 2012, “Instagram announced new changes to its privacy policy and terms of use”, say Babb & Nelson (2013). In this updated version, it is stated that, by publishing any type of content on the platform, the user grants the company a set of permissions. While it does not claim full ownership of the content, Instagram still has “a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, worldwide, limited license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce and translate” it (Terms of Use, 2013). The most important aspect of the updated terms is in the specification of the process of handling user content by Instagram. With the updated version of this legal document, Instagram reserves the right to “place such advertising and promotions on the Instagram Services or on, about, or in conjunction with your Content” (Terms of Use, 2013). The language of these paragraphs, apparently, has been carefully selected and rewritten over the years – especially after the case in discussion.
The company is viable to use people’s content with their third-party partners – mainly advertisers and businesses – meaning that it is still able to handle it a multitude of scenarios. Clearly, these major changes prompted Instagram’s audience to express their immense displeasure with how the platform will be using their personal content. While Instagram’s – or rather, at that time, already Facebook’s – Terms clearly state now that they “do not claim ownership of your content”, it is particularly interesting to explore how both sides define ownership (Terms of Use, 2020). There is a myriad of aspects associated with the idea ranging from an understandable emotional attachment to this, at times, highly intimate and personal content, to strictly legal terms.
The ethical implications of this particular dilemma are specifically appealing for further study for their multi-layered nature and rich ground for a debate on ethics. This crucial decision made by Instagram’s management was, unarguably, made in compliance with Facebook’s business model – as it occurred straight after the company’s acquisition. However, there were ethical questions involved, surely – the company needed to retain balance between gaining profits and keeping their users. According to Woiceshyn (2011), most CEO’s employ the principle of “rational egoism” – a set of values focused on acting out of one’s own interests, but using the principles of justice, honesty, and others responsibly. Although the company has utilized this principle, the quality of conducting this process is debatable – evidence for this would be the user reprehension that the decision received. In this way, it altered performance in a major way –and very quickly, Instagram started losing its users, with some deleting their accounts and daily user activity going down by 42% in one month (Chang, 2013). Thus, this decision to change advertising policy on the platform resulted in a scandal in the media and on the Internet.
Interestingly enough, the incident made Instagram comment on it publicly, but also revert to the 2010’s Terms of Use and adjust some of the wording in the document. The company’s co-founder, Kevin Systrom wrote on Twitter, “our intention in updating the terms was to communicate that we’d like to experiment with innovative advertising” in an attempt to dissipate the “confusing language” (Babb & Nelson, 2013). Despite the fact that general distrust continued to permeate the platform, the company presented impressive statistics for that year: “90 million monthly active users and 40 million photos per day” (Babb & Nelson, 2013). Taking that into account, it is suitable to say that, although the update causing so much negative public resonance, it did not affect neither Instagram’s business model effectiveness, nor Facebook’s decision to purchase it.
Why the People Revolted: Ethical Issues Raised by the Update
The Question of Ownership
One would not be able to find an impressive number of ethical problems that this case raises; however, the ones it is concerned with are of uttermost relevance and importance, especially in the digital age. Those are the issues of privacy – a particularly controversial topic in the recent years, as well as the concept of ownership that this case questions. The place of ad targeting can also be discussed – as to what kind of advertisement can be considered ethical and how far targeting a specific audience can go.
As priorly mentioned, the issue of ownership is central here. In order to understand it in a wholesome manner, one needs to comprehend the differences in perception of this concept by the company – Instagram and Facebook – and its audience, the users. The main reason for this immense perception gap lies in the nature of its main medium – the Internet itself. As stated by Kudina & Verbek (2019), “normative frameworks are not static but coevolve with technologies” – resulting in the approach dubbed “the technomoral change” (p. 295). The principle can be applied to a rapidly-developing or emergent technology, which in itself becomes an ordaining principle and shapes a new reality around itself. However, typically, the technomoral principle can be found to influence majorly what is named a “soft impact” by Kudina & Verbek (2019, p. 295). These entail value formation and personal responsibilities that are altered by newly acquired technological practices.
The technomoral change paradigm is at the root of Instagram’s rule-bending perception and understanding of the modern version of ownership. It asserts that just as the introduction of the worldwide web, and smartphone technology have made a true revolution in global society, then similarly, the “social acceptability” of different concepts – for instance, ownership and privacy – can also be gradually changed (Kudina & Verbek, 2019). This is exactly what is pursued by the big tech companies.
For the purpose of even further maximizing their profits, companies like Facebook install new legal normative acts in the frameworks of their influence in order to obtain the information they monetize, gradually stirring the masses to accept it. However, as White (2016) rightfully postulates, subjects, whose data is collected, “believe they still own their data – but that is far from the truth” (p. 4). Taking into account the current state of the matters concerning the practices of handling data on various online platforms – and the Internet at large – people’s rights are being violated constantly. White argues that the only acceptable option for this scenario is “when data is used, informed consent should be given by the subject (2016, p. 4). The option to refuse data collection in most social account is merely “a pit stop” before going on a highway of data transmission, in truth, it constitutes minimal value (White, 2016, p. 4). It is due to these unethical processes that Facebook – and subsequently Instagram – indulges in those the users’ rights are violated.
Counter-Ethical Privacy Norms
Another significant part of the incident is its concerns with privacy of the user information – ranging from content to the activity on the platform. According to White, “privacy is the ability to be free from disturbance or observation” (2019, p. 3). Yet, the main problem about privacy in the digital space is connected to the ignorance of the masses. This was especially graphic in a study conducted by Ravn, Barnwell & Neves (2020), where a specific set of intimate content – family pictures – were selected to formulate a more definite understanding of the “publicly available” (p. 43). Due to the research team’s high ethical standards, every owner of every picture they used was contacted and asked permission from. This resulted in a particularly interesting outcome: some individuals changed their profile settings to private. This raises a question about how many people on Instagram are actually aware of the fact that their content is fully accessible to anyone on the platform (Ravn, Barnwell & Neves, 2020). Thus, this lack of awareness about the state of one’s data is what benefits big tech companies immensely.
The place of Instagram in this discourse is particularly fascinating. As mentioned by Ravn, Barnwell & Neves (2020), Roland Barthes located “the blur of public and private at the very advent of photography” – with the onset of photography corresponding exactly with the end of privacy, its “explosion into the public” (p. 42). Instagram, being a predominantly image-driven social network, must be at the focal point of this privacy-dissipating phenomenon and thus, its associated privacy issues are expected.
Targeted Ads and How Far the Advertisers Can Go
Instagram / Facebook is infamous for employing unethical practices for maximizing its profits. For this particular reason, this company is of utter most interest for an ethics researcher to scrutinize. Leaver notes that Facebook’s “poor history of dealing with customer privacy” leads to an understandable suspicion towards their management of Instagram (2015, p. 157). A particularly interesting ethical question is raised by it: what is the extent of such a surveillance that can still be considered acceptable by those subject to it – or can surveillance be ethical at all.
This ethical issue – one of gathering digital footprints – is central to contemporary discussion about the Internet. In this paradigm, as noted by Finnemore (2018), it is important for users to realize that they are the “crops” harvested by big tech companies, this being solely the reason their services come at no cost (p. 458). This act of “instrumentalizing” humans, as Finnemore argues, is inherently unethical and people “can never be means”, as they have an ethical standing themselves (2018, p. 458). This is the exact notion that the tech companies dominating the Internet, are aiming to change. It is debatable whether this is a violation of individual rights for an ethical treatment or an emergence of a new type of ethics.
Analysis of the Process of the Case
It is important to start at the beginning in order to obtain results clear and unbiased as much as it is possible. First of all, one must remember that the change of the Terms of Use occurred several months after Facebook bought Instagram –logically suggesting that it was initiated by the chief company. Thus, all the prior history about Facebook’s – currently Meta – business model and the scandalous behavior associated with it, becomes from this moment on fully applicable to Instagram. Lauer (2021) concludes that “Facebook’s business model is focused entirely on increasing growth and user engagement” (p. 401). Moreover, Facebook deliberately refuses to adhere to the currently-growing norms about company transparency; it has never exposed its recommendation and ad algorithms and will unlikely to do so in the future (Lauer, 2021). Thus, it is clear that the update on Terms of Use was made to fit Instagram into Facebook’s business model while utilizing Instagram’s database to its fullest potential.
However, the most interesting events come after the updated Terms went into effect. After inspecting the new Terms, an impressive number of Instagram users were outraged; many left the platform – with 42% decrease in daily active users in the month following the update (Chang, 2013). Such a dynamic clearly shows the previously discussed perception gap concerning the main ethical issues in discussion – the lack of ownership and privacy. With the Terms that allowed to “host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, display, translate and create derivative works” the company had the right to operate the content in any way without technically owning it (Terms of Use). As a result of comprehension, and subsequently, a wide array of interpretations and speculations of these lines, the general public was met with a difficult decision. One must decide whether to trust Instagram with their data, hoping that the company’s ethical standards comply with the general understanding of the right to ownership and privacy.
As shown by evidence, this is far from being the truth. People see Instagram as a medium to share their lives in an intimate manner with their close circle – as shown in the study by Ravn, Barnwell & Neves (2020). Their research proves that the media that is simply “discoverable” is not always intended to be broadly public (Ravn, Barnwell & Neves, 2020, p. 44). By making their content available to everyone on the Internet, people actually do not think of all of Internet’s users as their target audience, rather, they intend only their close friends and family to see it. This is the main reason that caused such an upheaval in the media at the time Instagram’s 2013 Terms of Use were published – people experienced a certain clash of perception – as they understood the immense difference between how they view their content and how the company does.
When aiming to showcase even more extreme versions of sensitive data that is, in reality, an especially frequent type of Instagram content, it is appropriate to mention sharenting. The so-called “intimate surveillance” that parents impose on their children, according to Leaver (2015), is exactly what normalizes surveillance mechanisms in the society at grand scale (p. 158). In this manner, by making their services friendly and available to such an intimate content as infant pictures, or even ultrasound scans of fetuses, Instagram is able to compile an immense amount of data. This process is absolutely legal, since the users themselves submit the content to the platform.
However, what stirring the Instagram’s founders’ decision, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, can be easily understandable. Owning a platform with 80 million users in 2013, right after the purchase, it would be unwise not to try to extract some kind of profit off the gigantic audience and even bigger mass of content (Leaver, 2015, p. 156). As Woiceshyn (2011) states, the CEOs generally tend to apply two main principles in their decision making – a reality principle and value creation (p. 315). Both of these are traceable in the case at hand. Value creation is, essentially, what drives every business – and it was exactly what drove Instagram to alter the Terms of Use – it’s an act of “rational self-interest” (Woiceshyn, 2011, p. 315). This is precisely what any company does in order to elevate itself to a next significant milestone in its evolution: first, it assesses its current situation, applying the reality principle, and from there, it seeks to maximize its profits, applying value creation principle.
The only thing that can be considered flawed in this decision mechanism is the fact that Instagram CEOs have attempted it too soon. The decision seems to be forced, as if Instagram had to momentarily set into motion the revenue streams because Facebook had purchased it and naturally, was looking to monetize its new acquisition. However, the rollback to the previous version of Terms means that Instagram retains its integrity and its values, along with an independence to some extent. It is willing to alter its policy course to fit the model that the majority of users was eager to accept. It was a wise decision to revert to the previous version, with Systrom noting that “rather than obtain permission from you, we are going to take the time to complete our plans” (Balowin, 2012). Given the feedback that the decision received, it was the wisest outcome one could provoke for the long-term profit, as further incompliance with user opinion could lead to the demise of the platform.
Contrary to criticism of Instagram, the company appears to be concerned with objectivity and embracing different cultures and perspectives. In an interview, referring to their developing hateful speech censoring technology, Systrom mentioned a “community team” – a group of strictly bilingual people with different ethnic backgrounds that constantly interact with Instagram users to receive feedback (Thompson, 2017, 7:05). This is particularly notable, as it shows that Instagram is aiming to combat bias and is minimally biased itself, or at least aware of it.
A Possible Resolution
While the criticism the company has received originates in concerns that have a point from an ethical view, the actions conducted by Instagram after the backlash are rational and focused on finding balance. It is hard to criticize the company’s decisions in their problem-solving skills. However, the initial decision to allow advertisers to interfere with the user data beyond statistics and ad targeting was conducted too aggressively. As seen in a study by Matz, Appel & Kosinski (2020), the potential resolution for the privacy paradox that digital marketing entails is the introduction of privacy by design. The disclosure methods of a company should be regulated by a co-profitable standard, where the user data is handled appropriately and the advertisement is displayed on the basis of this user data. However, the data should never leave the platform – as Matz, Appel & Kosinski postulate, privacy can be also understood as contextual integrity and thus the information is able only to remain private when used in the context it was collected (2020). One limit to this approach is the lack of partners: the parties that would handle customer data and use it for advertisement purposes.
The remedy for this may lie in the field of conscious affiliate marketing in the case of semi-popular accounts or Insta-famous influencers. The components of this scheme are the same; yet the act of sponsorship is made explicit to the users, and thus, consent is obtained. Silvia (2019) proves the point that “74% of consumers nowadays will depend on their social networks to guide the purchases” and affiliate marketing is the primary method of doing so (p. 9). Using that alternative with Instagram-native brands would make the platform feel more authentic and exclusive – while still keeping user data inside.
Conclusion
This particular moment in Instagram history is exemplary of its character as a company. During the backlash following the change to the Terms of Use, Instagram was made to clearly define their position when referring to user data. They reverted to their original legal documents, an act which not many successful companies are able to do – showing that they were still majorly influenced by their users’ opinion and cared about feedback.
Finnemore, M. Ethical Dilemmas in Cyberspace. Ethics & International Affairs, 31(4), 457-462.
Kudina, O. & Verbek, P. P. (2019). Ethics from Within: Google Glass, the Collingridge Dilemma, and the Mediated Value of Privacy. Science, Technology and Human Values, 44(2), 291-314.
Lauer, D. (2021). Facebook’s ethical failures are no accidental; they are apart of the business model. AI and Ethics, 1(1), 395-403.
Leaver, T. (2015). Born Digital? Presence, Privacy, and Intimate Surveillance. In Hartley, John & W. Qu (Eds.), Re-Orientation: Translingual Transcultural Transmedia: Studies in narrative, language, identity, and knowledge (pp. 149–160). Shanghai: Fudan University Press.
Matz, S. C., Appel, R. E., & Kosinski, M. (2020). Privacy in the Age of Psychological Targeting. Current Opinion in Psychology, 31(1), 116-121.
Ravn, S., Barnwell, A., & Neves, B. B. (2020). What is “publicly available data”? Exploring blurred public-private boundaries and ethical practices through a case study on Instagram. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 15(1), 40 –45
Silvia, S. (2019). The Importance of Social Media and Digital Marketing to Attract Millennials’ Behavior as a Consumer. Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 4(2), 7-10.
White, G. (2016). Big Data and Ethics: Examining the grey areas of big data analytics. Issues in Information Systems,17(4), 1-7.
Woiceshyn, J. (2011). A Model for ethical decision making in business: Reasoning, intuition, and rational moral principles. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(1), 311-323.
The use of social media in promoting trade has changed consumer behavior and how companies conduct their business. SMM campaigns reveal significant opportunities for organizations by reducing costs, increasing brand awareness and sales (Dwivedi, Ismagilova, Hughes, et al., 2021). Analysis of the brand will help to understand how the SMM promotion strategy affects the profitability of the brand.
Advantages of implementing Video Marketing and Instagram Campaigns
Since both online campaigns work with a visual representation of the brand, it can subconsciously improve the brand’s associations with a high-quality and popular product. Due to the flexibility of online resources, both campaigns contain many possible advertising options. Such campaigns can also attract customers to increase brand awareness. For instance, the company may discount the client for a post published on Instagram for the next product.
Disadvantages of implementing Video Marketing and Instagram Campaigns
The disadvantage of these campaigns may be the cost which not every business can afford. If the need for high-quality tools that provide high-quality images is ignored, this may only lower the company’s public opinion in the eyes of buyers. Unscrupulous execution of Video Marketing Campaign and Instagram Campaign might result in unnecessary expenses.
The Internet has become an influential part of human life and has changed the environment in which children develop. Notably, communication and social interactions are more active on social media now. The media include various platforms that allow sharing news, ideas, images, and other information. The influence of social media is ambiguous and negative consequences attract special attention. The current paper studies the impact of Instagram on brain functioning and physical and social development. A distinctive feature of Instagram from other social networks is its focus on photo and video content (Wells et al., 2021). Using Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological systems theory, the report also considers how this network transformed childhood development. Even though the negative impact of Instagram prevails, it can also be used for benefit.
Changing Brain Functioning
In childhood, harm due to social media’s influence on brain functioning is more substantial than in adulthood. The children’s brains undergoe significant changes in age 10-12, and social rewards like compliments or appreciation bring more satisfaction than before (Abrams, 2022). As a result, users of this age are more sensitive to the opinions of others and seek approval. At the same time, Instagram shows a predominantly ideal lifestyle. Therefore, children tend to be dissatisfied with themselves, which leads to low self-esteem, depression, eating disorders, and similar problems (Wells et al., 2021). The effect on brain functioning extends not only to the perception of oneself but also the perception of the world.
Social networks aim to interest and keep as many people as possible. To achieve this goal, they use unique algorithms, which show content based on the users’ interests and requests (MacRae et al., 2021). Consequently, the network affects how the brain receives and processes information. At the same time, algorithms tend to process the interests of users and then offer more extreme options. For example, the user can get recommendations on unhealthy weight-loss methods after reading about a healthy diet. Media shapes a child’s perception of the world by emphasizing certain aspects. Therefore, parents and guardians should be aware how their children use Instagram and other networks.
Disrupting Physical Development
Middle childhood is also a critical period of physical development. Growth slows at this time, but attention, coordination, and motor skills improve (Pelz & Overstreet, 2022). Many children at this age participate in sports teams, which, in addition to physical benefits, also help establish social contacts (Pelz & Overstreet, 2022). However, social media fascination often leads to neglect of physical activity (Cipolletta et al., 2020). Moreover, dissatisfaction with one’s own body, which arises due to Instagram, is a common problem for children that begin to seek social approval (Wells and others, 2021). In pursuit of the ideal body or due to discontent, there are tendencies for unhealthy diets, traumatic exercises, and other dangerous measures. As a result, Instagram can disrupt physical development by reducing children’s activity or offering content with unhealthy diets and exercises.
Influence on Social Development
Children learn to build social relationships and interact with others. Social networks help maintain communication, even when the interlocutors are far away. However, with personal interaction, children can better build their boundaries, and their communication is more private. Instagram encourages publicity, especially when children seek approval from their surroundings (Abrams, 2022). As a result, children are more focused on social comparison on Instagram, which affects their self-perception. Social media are used as a tool in the struggle for popularity, and children consider the number of subscribers and likes as its indicator (Wells et al., 2021). Moreover, many teenagers report that Instagram has made them doubt the strengths of friendship (Wells et al., 2021). Although the network should support social interactions, it often harms them.
Positive Impact
Instagram can also have a positive influence on its users. Using its focus on photos and videos, children can use it as a place to express themselves (Cipolletta et al., 2020). Content can be not only extreme but also educational and helpful. Gentina et al. (2021) note that social media can help develop the theory of mind skill to help recognize deceptive content or advertising. Nowadays, the Instagram owner-company cooperates with various organizations to create content, contributing to emotional resilience development (Wells et al., 2021). The media shows not only the ideal lifestyle: bloggers who tell about the struggle for the rights of minorities can also have an impact and promote social justice. People with disabilities can use their profiles to demonstrate the possibility of being happy in various circumstances, thereby providing support to other users (Wells et al., 2021). Therefore, one can find benefits in using Instagram with a cautious approach.
Application of Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Systems Theory
Social media has significantly changed the circumstances of children’s development. Using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory, one can distinguish several features. For example, Instagram and other networks become part of the microsystem, as they are constantly in contact with the users and have a substantial impact (Navarro & Tudge, 2022). In the macro system, Instagram can be seen as part of a new culture or social values. Moreover, as already mentioned, the network influences the world’s perception and, therefore, is part of this level. The influence of elements of other systems is also enhanced since social media simplifies the interaction between them. Consequently, Instagram changed the impact of Bronfenbrenner’s systems on the child’s development.
Conclusion
Thus, Instagram is a popular social media focusing on exchanging photo and video content. It can affect the functioning of children’s brains, as it determines their perception of the world through the recommended content. Instagram also helps users seek social approval, but spreading content about an ideal life often harms them. This media can disrupt physical development, as it distracts children from the activity and can offer harmful recommendations influencing behavior. Aimed to establish social ties, Instagram has become a tool for comparison and competition in the social aspect, harming development. Nevertheless, with a careful approach to use, Instagram can benefit – develop the theory of mind skills and become a platform for self-expression. Applying Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory, one can note that social media has significantly changed the environment of a child’s development.
Instagram is a social network and a program that permits friends to share photos. It is the quickest way through which friends share their lives with each other through a series of pictures and images with no cost attached. It is free, quick and fun1.
Who is doing it?
Instragram is widely used by friends in facebook and twitter. According to Roger’s theory of diffusion innovation, people tend to create features and functions that they deem will be useful to a given target group.
For social system members, the decision about an innovation is dictated by stand of other system members. This implies that if a proportion social system members adopt an innovation, it will be followed by a massive adoption by other members of the social system.
Operation of Instagram
Instagram is very simple to operate. The first step involves snapping a photo using a mobile phone. Then transform the image into a memory by choosing a filter.
The image transformed can be kept forever. Upload the picture to a facebook page or twitter network. The image will appear to all your friends that have access to Instragram.
One of the outstanding benefits of Instagram is the cost. It is free innovation and hence users do not need to incur any cost while using it. It is also very fast and efficient way of knowing the whereabouts of friends and how they are doing2.
One can take a picture once and share it in multiple services. Images play an important role in displaying the physical characteristics of a person. Instragram transforms picture into a profession-like snapshot.
A distinct feature of Instagram is that the photos are confined into a square shape. There are also dozens of filters which help you give the picture a special look.
The setback with Instagram is that privacy is highly compromised. This is mainly because the uploaded photos are made public by default.
The photos are also available at the Instagram website (instagram.com). The fact that pictures are confined to a square is not beneficial to people who like taking panoramic pictures.
Significance of the innovation
The emergence of Instagram has enhanced connections in the social network services. The innovation was able to capture huge numbers in cell phone community within a short span of time. As a matter of fact, it started becoming a threat to other social network services.
As a result, facebook acquired it as a mean to enhance its operations. In 2011, Apple Inc. titled Instagram among the outstanding applications of the year3.
Downside of the innovation
The only disadvantage with Instagram is that one must adopt it to be able to follow pictures of other friends. In other words, if one adopts it while the friends do not adopt, then it would not enhance connections as such.
The fact that the photos are made public by defaulter may also be offensive to other users who value privacy. Instagram is increasing its broad among various social systems. With this trend, it is stipulated that it would match facebook in few years.
Implications of this adoption
The adoption of Instagram has changed the level of interactions among friends in the social network services. The adoption of an innovation is often informed by the extent at which the innovation will or will not disrupt other functions facets of the user’s daily life.
Instagram is very consistent with existent values and habits of enhancing healthy relationship among friends in far off places. Instagram will also allow tutors to upload pictures related to a given subject for proper comprehension4.
Bibliography
Alley, L. R. (1996). Technology’s sudden effects on reflective teaching: An instructional epiphany. Change, 28 (2), 49-54. Web.
Blog is short for weblog, a term that came into use in the early years of the twenty-first century. Weblogs refer to specific pieces of information posted online by individuals wishing to share their thoughts, experiences, and concerns with others. The phenomenon of blogging changed the way consumers receive information updates. Blogs are usually the first sources of information on what celebrities are doing.
Blogging is part of the current self-publishing wave that is overturning how people access written matter. Bloggers have carved a niche for themselves as part of the sources of information on the internet, which includes celebrity eWOM. Unlike conventional publications, blogs are not subjected to stringent grammar and style rules. Bloggers are free to decide on the level of strictness of the language they use in their blog.
Many blogging platforms exist for online users who are interested in posting blogs. The two most common blogging platforms are WordPress and Blogger. These two providers allow bloggers to maintain blogs free, as long as the blogger retains the name of the service provider in their web address.
Otherwise, a blogger who wants a unique web address pays for the service. Some blogs allow readers to register in order to receive notifications each time there is a new blog posted on the site. Many bloggers concentrate on celebrity eWOM as the subject matter of their blogs.
In the recent years, marketers have started using blogs as part of their online marketing options. This comes from the ability of blogs to attract and retain the interest of customers in niche markets. Blogs do not have the feel of conventional advertisements. They look like articles or opinion pieces in news magazines. In this regard, a blog that reviews products gives marketers the opportunity to reach customers without being afraid that the customers will be repulsed.
Customer repulsion is the phenomenon where customers ignore or tune out of advertisements that run on conventional media. The use of blogs for marketing is called article marketing. Popular blogs have articles on celebrity lifestyles. The main principle that guides article marketing is branding. An article may not ask consumers to buy a product. However, it can be written to compare the performance of two products.
This is what creates brand space in the minds of consumers. If the article talks about celebrity lifestyles, it forms part of eWOM on luxury living. Therefore, the next time that such a consumer goes to buy the product, the consumer is likely to choose a brand encountered in an article or a blog. Blogs also have a sense of authenticity because they contain real life experiences. Bloggers share their experiences with readers, who use these experiences to make purchasing decisions.
A good example of how blogs are affecting online marketing is the proliferation of travel blogs. Travelling is usually difficult for many people because of the need to make decisions without prior experience. The first time that someone visits a different country as a tourist, the person does not have a clear picture of what to expect.
In such situations, official websites and promotional materials made by tour agencies do not command the confidence of the consumer, because of the obvious conflict of interest. The simple reason for this is that the consumer feels that the materials carry only the best information about a tourist destination.
Customers therefore turn to blogs to get information relating to the personal experiences of other consumers. Travel blogs are written by people who have travelled to certain destinations, or by those who have a keen interest in travelling. Readers value the personal experiences of other people when they are making their own travel decisions.
One of the issues this research project hopes to clarify is the impact of blogs on purchasing behaviour. The reading of blogs, especially blogs that analyse celebrity lifestyles play a big role in consumer decisions. Blogs tend to use an informal communication style to connect with a target audience. This means that street language and other informal uses of language is not a hindrance to blog readers.
In fact, the use of informal language in blogs makes it easier for the target group to identify with the blog. The high level of impact of blogs on public opinion is the same reason that underlies the hypothesis that they play a huge role in the making of buying decisions. Blogs that talk about celebrities have a huge impact on lifestyle decisions of their followers. Just like Instagram, blogs provide followers of celebrities with a glimpse of opulent lifestyles.
The only difference is that blogs use words rather than pictures. Blogs are an important part of eWOM because they present a unique perspective regarding people’s experiences with products and services. Blogs are not sources of objective information. They are sources of subjective experiences that represent the immediate reality of individual bloggers.
Hypothesis
The three main issues that the project will investigate include the role of expertise in making blogs and Instagram influential. In addition, the project will determine the trustworthiness of Instagram compared to blogs and their impact on purchase intentions. The research questions for this project are as follows:
What is the effect of Instagram on fashion brands toward purchase intentions?
What is the effect of blogs on fashion brands toward purchase intentions?
What is the relationship between celebrity eWOM and purchase intentions?
What is the impact of eWOM from celebrities’ Instagram compared with celebrities’ blogs on consumer purchase intention in the fashion industry?
Based on these questions, the hypotheses of the research project are as follows. First, there is a positive relationship between Instagram usage and purchase intentions among young women in Thailand. The research project should arrive at a positive correlation between Instagram usage, and purchase intentions among young women in Thailand. The second hypothesis is that there is a positive relationship between exposure to blogs and purchasing intentions.
The basis of this hypothesis is the establishment of such a relationship in the travel industry. The third hypothesis is that there is a positive relationship between celebrity eWOM and purchase intentions. The fourth hypothesis is that celebrity blogs and celebrity eWOM plays a big role in purchase intentions among Thai consumers.
Methodology
Research Philosophy
The research philosophy guiding this project is positivism. Positivism encourages the use of tools and techniques that can prove the existence and the extent of a phenomenon. Positivism has three main suppositions in regards to research. First positivism supposes that there is an objective reality . Secondly, positivism supposes that it is possible to know the objective reality. Thirdly, positivism supposes that it is possible to describe this reality.
The belief in the existence of an objective reality does not cut across all research philosophies. Some research philosophies do not believe in the existence an objective reality. These philosophies assume that research only unearths the aggregate perceptions of the subjective realities of the respondents.
This position eliminates the possibility of knowing an objective reality because there is no way of proving its existence. On the other hand, positivism holds that objective reality is discoverable by use of scientific measurements. The beauty of positivism is the ability to use descriptions to express this reality. Researchers who use positivism as their guiding philosophy use mathematical and statistical descriptors to express their findings in relation to objective reality.
According to Bryman and Bell (2011) positivism has five main principles. The first principle of positivism is phenomenalism. This principle invalidates anything that cannot be experienced using the senses. The only way to know objective reality is to use the senses to discover and quantify it.
In the context of the research project underway, this principle informed the development of the research questions. These questions will be guiding the process of uncovering the experiences of the respondents. By aggregating these experiences, it will be possible to know the objective reality in regards to the use of Instagram and blogs in eWOM.
The second principle of positivism is deductivism. Deductivism underlies the need to develop a hypothesis in research. The development of hypothesis starts with theoretical reviews that aim at revealing gaps in knowledge. Researchers develop hypotheses to fill the theoretical gaps and then conduct experiments to verify the hypothesis. This then leads to the proving or disapproving of the hypothesis through the development of new theory.
The proof of the hypothesis relies on deductions made after conducting an experiment, hence the name deductivism. This hypothesis developed in this research project focused on how Instagram and Blogs influence celebrity eWOM. This project will culminate in the development of new theory regarding the use of Instagram and blogs in marketing.
The third principle of positivism is inductivism. An essential element of positivist studies is that they gather facts relating to the phenomenon under investigation. These facts them inform the process of identifying objective reality. In other words, the process of gathering facts provides an inductive mechanism for identifying objective reality. The design of the questionnaire relies on this principle to ensure that the views captured will be as close to objective reality as possible.
Positivism seeks to promote objectivity in research. This means that the research must be done in a value-free manner. This principle ensures that research results from positivist studies are true, rather than right. A researcher does not make moral judgments or try to find whether something is right or wrong.
The whole point is to find out whether a phenomenon exists, its extent, and the implications. In this research project, the objective of the project is to find out how Instagram and blogs promote celebrity eWOM. In keeping with positivism, the project does not concern itself with moral arguments such as whether it is right for marketers to take advantage of this phenomenon.
The last principle of positivism is that it requires a clear distinction between scientific statements and normative statements. This means that the researcher is careful to make a distinction when expressing the results arising from a research project, and when making statements that capture general expectations.
The implication of this to the research project is that the language that will be used to report the findings, should clarify the difference between issues arising from the process, and those that represent the orthodox position.
Research Design
Research design is the logical framework, rather than the logistical framework for a research project. The objectives of this research project seek to find out the impact of Instagram and blogs on celebrity eWOM. This means that there is need to explore how the two internet tools facilitate celebrity eWOM.
The best way to do this is by conducting a survey that covers the people who respond to celebrity eWOM. The details of how the target group was chosen are presented in the section on sampling methods below. This research project will use a survey research design to achieve the stated objectives.
The reasons underlying the choice of survey as the research design of the project are as follows. First, this project is a phenomenological study. There is need to study the extent of Instagram and Blogs on celebrity eWOM because of the implications this can have on marketing. Since the research project is seeking to find out something that affects a large population, a survey is the best method of carrying out the investigation.
Secondly, a survey will make is possible to test the specific elements that constitute the influence of celebrity eWOM on Instagram and blogs. The survey will deal with four overall research questions.
The answers collected from the survey will answer these questions in a clear manner that will influence the usefulness of the research project. Thirdly, a survey will provide the researchers with a standard means of evaluating the data collected. This is ideal because of the specific nature of the research questions.
The strengths of a survey as a research design paradigm are as follows. First, survey findings are easy to generalize . Since every respondent answers the same set of questions, it is easy to tell what a larger population would say in response to the same specific inquiries. Secondly, multiple choice questions in close ended survey questionnaires make it easy for respondents to participate in the process.. The research findings from this project will inform online marketing strategies.
The use of a standard questionnaire will increase the confidence of marketing strategists in the research findings. Thirdly, it is easy to replicate surveys. This advantage comes from the use of a standard questionnaire and consistent sampling. This means that the decision to use a survey will make it possible to repeat the process in other markets when needed.
Finally, survey results fit easily into the existing body of research. This means that future studies on Instagram and blogs, will have a stronger basis for development based on the findings of this research project.
The main weaknesses that bedevil survey research are as follows. First, the process is prone to errors. This means that a lot of effort is needed upfront to eliminate the potential for errors in the research process. The limitation associated with this situation is that some errors cannot be known until later in the research process. Compared to descriptive studies, the researcher can make adjustments in the process of data collection to tune the research project to the realities on the ground.
A survey research lacks this option. Secondly, a survey research, especially one that seeks to collect quantitative data, forces respondents to take discreet positions. In reality, people’s positions and perceptions fall in a range. In some cases, some people develop positions while answering research questions because there was no prior instance where they thought about the issues raised in the questionnaires. The third weakness of surveys is that they capture data in a time bound manner.
This means that a survey conducted today may no longer be accurate after a short time because of the dynamics of change. This project will study Instagram. However, there is no certainty that in the next two years, Instagram will have the same influence it commands today. Changes in the environment can render a survey meaningless in a short period.
Data Collection
Data for this project will be collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire will have four main sections, each dealing with one of the research questions. The respondents will answer the questions in one sitting. The questionnaire is composed of closed ended questions. This decision was taken to ease data collection and analysis. Closed ended questions are easier and faster to administer, hence the research project will be concluded on time.
The distribution of the questionnaire will be done online. The questionnaire will be on an interactive form capable of registering the responses of the respondents into a database. The online questionnaire is hosted on Google drive. Google drive is Google’s cloud service. The respondents will get the link to the questionnaire via email and via social media. However, they will not have access to the database where all the responses will be registered.
The main advantages of using an online questionnaire are as follows. First, the administrative costs of managing the questionnaire are minimal, compared to hardcopy questionnaires. This arises because there will be no need to print the final questionnaire for distribution, or to put in place measures for collecting the filled questionnaires.
This will reduce the overall cost of data collection. Secondly, the data will go straight into a database, thereby eliminating the logistical requirements of data entry as an element of the research process. As soon as a respondent fills the online form, the data will be saved on the Google drive hosting the questionnaire. The third advantage of this method is that the data will be secure as long as no one breaches the Google drive account. Hardcopy questionnaires are difficult to keep securely.
It is costly and cumbersome to maintain the hard copies of research questionnaires. This makes them more difficult to secure. The fourth advantage of the online questionnaire is that the database is in a portable format. It will be easy to transfer the entire database to data analysis software.
The problems that will arise based on this data collection method are as follows. Google drive is a password-protected service. This means that the data will be vulnerable to hackers and other people who can access the Google drive account. While Google invests in securing its systems, there is no assurance that the account cannot be breached. On the overall, the data will be relatively secure compared to local storage in the hard drive of a single computer.
The second disadvantage associated with an online questionnaire is that the respondents will not have any supervision while filling the questionnaire. Respondent should not collaborate when filling questionnaires. This means that if the respondent chooses to involve another person in the process, there will be no way of knowing that this happened.
This can bias the results. The third disadvantage of the online questionnaire is that there will be no physical backup of the data. In addition, it is possible to manipulate the database stored in Google drive. Any changes to the data can go undetected.
The mitigation measures that will be employed to reduce the risks associated with the online questionnaire are as follows. First, an effort will be made to impress upon the respondents not to collaborate when filling the questionnaire. This will be done when sending the questionnaire to the respondents.
In any case, respondent supervision can be provided by asking them to fill the questionnaire in the presence of a research assistant. Secondly, the database will be hosted on a separate account from the one that will be used to view it. This will ensure that no changes or mistakes arise from unintentional altering of the data in the database.
Sampling Methods
The target population for this project is the young Thai women aged 18-30. This population represents the most impressionable group in fashion issues. At this age, the women have the independence to make fashion decisions and the ability to act on those decisions. This population is also active on social media. The second characteristic of the target population is that they belong to the middle class in Bangkok.
The literature reviewed showed that the middle class is very fashion conscious because of the desire to make a social statement based on their consumer habits. This means that the target population represents the segment that is most active on social media, in terms of seeking fashion information.
The sampling method chosen for this research project is simple random sampling. This sampling method is based on the needs of a research project, and is often useful in cases where the issues under investigation do not have a significant dependence on the sample chosen.
Simple random sampling gives every member of a target population an equal chance of being captured in the research project. The basic theory governing random sampling is that a section of a population that is chosen randomly will have the same characteristics as the entire population. Usually a margin of error is calculated and presented along with the results obtained from the project.
The decision to use simple random sampling was arrived at based on the following reasons. First, the use of social media is phenomenological. This means that it cuts across the sample population. A random sample will capture all the necessary aspects of social media usage in the overall population. Secondly, simple random sample is ideal in this situation because the phenomena under investigation affect the whole population.
There is no need for more specialized sampling to achieve results that are more accurate. In other words, a different sampling method would yield specialized results that may not apply to the entire population. Thirdly, the use of random sampling is not complicated.
The benefit to the research project is that it will reduce the work that other sampling methods usually entail. In this sense, it will be possible to expedite data collection in order to move to data analysis and development of the research report. Finally, random sampling calls for the calculation of a margin of error. This margin of error makes it possible for people applying the results to make informed choices.
The limitations associated with simple random sampling are as follows. First, in very large populations, it is difficult to verify the accuracy of simple random sampling because of small changes in the profile of the population. For instance, there may be subcultures within the Thai women targeted for the exercise that do not conform to the general characteristics of the target population. A case in point would women who attend certain schools.
Secondly, random sampling is vulnerable to sampling bias. The sample may contain members who have distinctive characteristics that lead to differences in population characteristics. A researcher can also pick the actual respondents based on other factors such as convenience, provided the respondents meet the universal criteria.
In this experiment, is may be possible to find the full number of respondents needed for the research from one university, or one neighbourhood. While those results will be very accurate in reference to the immediate community, they will not be easy to generalize because of sample bias.
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