Social media often shows posts about appearance, like beauty trends, fitness videos, fashion, or “perfect” bodies. These posts get lots of likes and shares, so algorithmsa push them to more people. This means body-related content can show up in your feed even if you didn’t search for it. Algorithms may also show different body content to different people based on things like age or gender, which can lead to narrow ideas about what bodies “should” look like.
Because algorithms don’t understand what’s realistic or healthy, they often promote edited, filtered, or highly staged images. Knowing how this works helps you understand why these posts appear so often and remember that social media doesn’t show real bodies in a real way.
‘So the one where it’s the three different types of stomach… The sound is saying, “I’m so sick of myself, I’d rather be anyone else,” when they were the middle body type. When I look at that body, I see a normal body. I don’t see one that’s so fat that they should be so self-hating. I was just quite shocked to see that because, “Why are they pushing the fact that might be an unhealthy body?” … I know, in my head, that is a normal, healthy, body. Because of that pushing, that’s so unhealthy and disgusting, it does make you feel quite bad.’
‘Whilst I might not necessarily think I'm focusing on her, and what she is wearing and what she looks like, I also know that everybody that I see on social media, and out and about in actual life, they're all forming clusters in your mind, of what you should look like whilst you're on holiday. That can be difficult…. In the moment, I probably wouldn't think I'm focusing on it, but I do know that secretly it's stored away in my mind of what you should look like when you're on holiday.’
‘I do see lads my age now, they're very conscious of muscles and things… I'd say a lot of it could be social media influence… a couple of old mates of mine are, like, massive bodybuilders now. I don't think they would have been, prior. Probably, I'd say social media has had an influence on them, and now they’re influencers as well…but it's also negative, a lot of it, in terms of promotion and things, it's like, ‘Here's what you need and your life will be perfect,’ rather than, ‘If you're happy with how you are, just keep doing what you’re doing.’
"You could be, I don’t know, perfect model, size two, abs, whatever, and you still hate pictures of yourself because of insecurities that you've got that I wouldn't even think about. We all have insecurities about ourselves, and it’s just showing that actually what you perceive as really big, in your head, what you have as a real big insecurity for you, other people don't even notice."
A lot of social media focuses on how people look. This can create pressure for all genders — like feeling you need to be very thin, very muscular, or look a certain way. For some people, especially those who already feel unsure about their bodies, this can lower confidence and self-esteem.
Social media often uses very attractive, edited, or filtered images to grab attention — even in posts that aren’t really about appearance. Even when you know this, it can still be hard not to compare yourself. Over time, this can lead to worries about food, weight, or exercise, and for some people, unhealthy habits.
Body-image pressure can show up almost anywhere online — in videos about food, travel, fitness, or everyday life — making it hard to escape. Some content can be helpful, like posts that show real, unedited bodies or talk honestly about how social media isn’t always real.
• Why do you think posts about appearance get so much attention online?
• How might algorithms change what you think is ‘normal’ or ‘expected’ to look like?
• What skills can help you look at body image content critically, rather than comparing yourself to it?
• Why do you think posts about appearance get so much attention online?
• How might algorithms change what you think is ‘normal’ or ‘expected’ to look like?
• What skills can help you look at body image content critically, rather than comparing yourself to it?
• Clean up your Explore/For You: Use Not interested on any body image or beauty content that feels negative.
• Add keywords that might feel triggering to hidden words.
• Follow body positivity accounts: Choose creators who show unedited bodies, talk about filters, or focus on strength/skills rather than looks.
• Mute/unfollow accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself.
