Say Cheese?: The rise of fake photos and the fall of mental health

by Olivia Wayson

It’s 2024, and digital media is all the rage. Our digital landscape is completely speckled with pictures, videos, and other visual media. Nearly every person who has a modern cell phone possesses the ability to take a picture at any given moment in the day. While this technology is great for capturing memories with loved ones, documenting a beautiful sunset, or even sending evidence of damage to an insurance company, our seemingly unlimited ability to take and share photos of ourselves and things happening around us is not always a good thing. Especially when the photos one shares with others are not representative of reality. 

Staging:

There are many ways that a photograph can be a false representation of a moment in time- even before any sort of editing tool is touched. Take advertisements, for example. These photos are staged in a way that makes the product look most appealing to consumers, which has the potential to create unmeetable expectations. For instance, some food stylists will use practices such as undercooking the food, rearranging the ingredients, or using inedible supporting materials to make the food look as delicious as possible. But of course, as good as it looks in the photo, we would not want our food to be raw, lopsided, or dangerous to consume. Therefore, the food that we get will look different than the image we saw in the ad. Staging photos may create an aesthetically appealing image, but that image is not truthful.

This type of staging is not just limited to marketing from companies and businesses. A social media site, or even framed photos that belong to an individual may be presenting a false reality. When a camera comes out, we tend to want to present our best face. No matter what kind of day we are having, even if we are tired or just received terrible news, when someone wants to take a picture, we are inclined to smile for it. Or if we don’t like the way we look in the photo, we might try again with a more flattering pose or angle. We might even reposition the camera to get a messy or unappealing background out of frame. While this type of self-presentation is not limited to photos of ourselves (and it is reasonable to present ourselves as nicely as we can in a variety of scenarios), the amount of staging that can happen in photos, as well as the number of photos we share that contain staging, can present an inaccurate idea of ourselves to others and contribute to the overall amount of false images on social media. Those observing from the outside might not only have a distorted idea of the people they know, but might also unnecessarily feel the negative emotions that accompany the fear of missing out, or “FOMO”. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “FOMO… refers to the feeling or perception that other people are having fun, experiencing new things or living a better life than you.” They say that FOMO is not just limited to social events, but can also happen when one person sees another excelling in a certain area of life to the extent that the person observing cannot keep up with, therefore making them feel bad about themselves. When one sees staged photos online, they may assume that that person’s life, or even just that person in general, is as perfect as they are making it seem. Thoughts like “Why can’t I be that way?” or “I wish I could do that thing.” can start to creep into people’s minds and make them feel lonely, jealous, or depressed.

Photoshopping:

With the rise of image sharing, as well as new developments in technology, has been the rise of digitally editing photos for a more desirable resulting image. This can range from changing the colors of an image with filters, removing unsightly objects from the background, or even digitally changing the shape of one’s face or body. Not only does this remove an element of truth from the photos, but it can also result in people creating unrealistic expectations for themselves as a result of comparing themselves to what they see online. 

This is especially prevalent when it comes to body image and comparison. According to a blog from Priory, a company that provides care for those with various types of mental ailments, exposure to images others have edited to make themselves look better can make one more susceptible to an eating disorder via the lower self-esteem and body dysmorphia that can result from comparison. Negative effects are especially strong for those who have body dysmorphic disorder or a pre-existing eating disorder. And unfortunately, exposure to edited images is fairly common. In the same post, citing a Mental Health Foundation Study (2019), Priory said of teenagers between 13 and 19, “1 in 4 girls and 1 in 10 boys had edited their face or body in digital photos, due to poor body image”. They continue, “22% of the adult age group in the study said they had worried about their body image as a result of the posts they saw on social media”. It is evident that viewing digitally edited images, particularly those that have been altered to change the way one looks, can have a negative impact on mental health. 

Potential Solutions:

Clearly the false perception of reality proliferated by staged and photoshopped images is a bad thing that has negative impacts on society. So what can be done about it? 

One thing we can do on an individual level is to try to be more authentic online. Social media was initially created to share life updates with friends, but over the years, people have started to feel pressure to make themselves and their lives appear perfect. It is only natural to want to present our best selves in front of a large audience of people. However, by posting images of ourselves as we naturally are, doing things we love, with people we love, while we are genuinely happy can not only help our online friends get to know us for who we truly are, but it can also help hinder the wide-spreading practice of posting only what looks perfect instead of what is actually accurate to real life. This includes refraining from staging scenarios and/or using editing tools to digitally alter appearance. 

Improving our media literacy is another way to combat negative media effects. By understanding that what is posted online and on social media may have been staged or digitally edited, one can think critically before comparing themselves to what they are seeing. Even if what is posted is not staged or edited, people are more likely to post happy, positive moments. Therefore, what is online disproportionately shows these good things, and excludes the less perfect things. If one is able to keep this in mind, they are able to realize that what they are seeing is not the whole picture, and to hesitate before assuming that their appearance or life might be worse than somebody else’s. 

Finally, it is important to practice self-love. By loving ourselves, including taking care of ourselves and practicing gratitude for the personal qualities and abilities, things, people, and experiences we have in our lives, we can help mitigate some of the negative effects that can come from comparing ourselves to what we see on social media. 

Things to Keep in Mind:

There are many positives to modern technology related to photography and social media. It allows for the saving of memories, staying in touch over distances, and even artistic expression. However, when people introduce falsity into the images they share, they can contribute to the perpetuation of fake perfection. This can lead to social comparison and increased pressure to meet unrealistic expectations, which in turn, can cause decreased mental health. There is nothing wrong with cleaning up your background before you take a picture or trying to look good in a photo, but next time you post, consider whether the images are an accurate representation of your life.