DANGER OF FAKED PICS
Petition highlights how edited images can harm
Two teenage pals from Perth are taking on the might of Instagram to promote a healthier body image.
Determined Abbie Maclaughlan (18) and Rachael Devine (17) reckon “unrealistic and unhealthy expectations” are placed on how the body should look due to edited content on the popular social media platform.
The duo have started a petition calling for the word “edited” to be introduced on photo captions where physical appearance has been altered.
Abbie revealed she was moved to act because of her own experiences.
She said: “Edited photos showed me tiny waists, thigh gaps, big breasts, rib cages and abs that you can constantly see.
“When I didn’t achieve those results I went to new extremes to try and obtain them, including starving myself for long periods, orthorexia and bulimia.”
A young Perth campaigner is using her experience of how social media can trigger and worsen mental health conditions to create a change.
Determined Abbie Maclaughlan (18), with the help of friend Rachael Devine, has launched a petition in an attempt to get the attention of Instagram.
They reckon “unrealistic and unhealthy expectations” are often placed on how the body should look due to increases in edited content.
The duo are calling for the word “edited” to be introduced on photo captions of verified accounts where physical appearance has been altered by editing.
Abbie and Rachael are hopeful of gaining more support for the campaign.
“There are many young and impressionable people being brought up online,” former Perth Grammar student Abbie explained. “With this policy in place we can help draw a clearer boundary between what is seen online and what is reality.
“We want to help the one billion users of Instagram understand that the photos we compare ourselves to are often unrealistic depictions of the human body.
“This is becoming of increasing importance as social media has grown to be the main source of news and entertainment.
“This policy will be of huge significance when it comes to recovering from disordered eating, issues with body image and negative comparative thinking.
“Not only will it help others heal, but will be of huge significance in preventing the initial harm caused by edited photos to those who use Instagram.
“After discussing it with many people who live in Perth, we have discovered our campaign is something many people feel incredibly passionate about and we want as many people as possible to hear about us.”
The petition has been signed by more than 350 people since its launch under the banner of ‘The Edited Campaign’.
Abbie revealed that, from the age of 15 to 18, she struggled with her own body image.
This ended up manifesting itself in disordered eating behaviours and bulimia.
“I did not realise how much social media, specifically Instagram, was impacting my condition until I began to recover,” noted Abbie, who is set to attend The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
“Edited content online led me to have unrealistic and unhealthy expectations of how my body should look.
“Edited photos showed me tiny waists, thigh gaps, big breasts, rib cages and abs that you can constantly see.
“When I didn’t achieve those results I went to new extremes to try and obtain them including starving myself for long periods, orthorexia and bulimia.
“Because the captions failed to mention that the photos were edited, my mental condition was significantly worsened, as the photos would be used against me by my condition.
“These images are used against you. They attack you from all sides.”
Abbie added: “I cannot help but long for Instagram to be a place of total transparency.
“I want Instagram to be a place that doesn’t promote unrealistic standards. I want Instagram to be expressive and a place to have loads of tiny little bubbles of people and all the incredible things we do.
“That is why Instagram is my favourite social media site, because it can be used for so many creative and exciting purposes.”
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social network service started in 2010.
The PA contacted Facebook, which now owns Instagram, but had not received a response by the time we went to press.
The petition can be viewed at www.change.org/p/instagram-change-instagrampolicy-to-protect-usersmental-health-and-restorepositive-body-image